Bleed
by Sarah the mutant farm girl
Summary: 9th in series, After a shape shifter tries to kill them on the orders of vampires, the gang heads out to acquire a little revenge.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello agian! Its time to embark on another hunt, so lets go over the checklist one more time- rocksalt, holywater, Winchesters, the will power to leave a review and not just close the window... You know I love you, and am just teasin' ya. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural. But on the upside Autumn and Athena are all mine!**

**Bleed**

**Chapter One**

_Journey, Okalahoma, December 15th, 2006_

_Zack entered the bar, hands clenched in the pockets of his leather jacket. He always got nervous when he was picking out a target. There were too many things that could go wrong there at the beginning. He scanned the dingy room with his newly acquired steel blue eyes. There she was, his new target. Something about the way she held herself, was dangerous. He smirked and found a barstool where he could watch her. When he caught her name, Kate, and knew she wasn't with anyone, at least tonight, he approached._

_"Evenin'." he grinned. Kate looked him over then looked at her friends she nodded and they dispersed, a good sign. _

_"Hello." The way she said that simple word made chills run down his spine. This could turn out to be a good night after all, he mused. "What brings you out, darlin'?" Zack gestured to the chair next to her a silent request to sit, she gave him an approving look, so he withdrew the seat and sat._

_"Just looking for a good time." She gave a little laugh, more chills._

_"Really?" she leered leaning in, her hand found the inside of his thigh. "I know exactly where you can find that good time."_

_"Then what am I still doing here?"_

Zack shook his foggy head. What had happened after that? A large gap of time had disappeared. He moved to stand up and fell back down, his legs gave way beneath him. He felt his body then, searching for the reason he was so weak, then finding it in a burst of horror. He was covered in deep gashes, all of which had been sucked clean.

"What do you mean they're traveling with more hunters?" a female voice demanded.

"Daemons." a male answered the woman. "Sisters, who were trained under John Winchester, and Red Raining Cloud."

"Damn it!" the woman swore. "Kate isn't going to like that."

"You know the Daemons?" the man asked. Zack drug himself toward the voices pressing himself into the door. He looked around in the near dark, he was in a horse stall, easy to escape from if he had the blood to do it.

"Cloud, caused some problems a few years ago. He had those girls with him. Not too much trouble man on man but long distance they'll slow us down." Zack knew that name, Daemon, it wasn't that common of a name. Who had he known with that name? Sister, he grinned, back in Ohio he'd moonlighted as a shrink, the state hired him to work on a few cases considered hopeless.

"I know them!" he said as loudly as his body would allow.

"Excuse me?" the woman came over, a beautiful woman with stormy grey eyes and bright green hair. "You know the Daemons?"  
"I do, and I can get them for you. Serve them on a silver platter," he drawled. "For a price of course."

_Raining Cloud's Hunters Resort , Montana March 10th, 2007_

"When have you known me to drop everything for a gig?" Autumn asked annoyed.

"This isn't just a gig. You do this your sales will double." Emma Turner, her agent, argued.

"Look, I can't make the trip anyway. Athena was in a riding accident and broke her leg. Someone needs to stick around for her."

"Can you two just stay in one piece? Do you really have to get yourselves beaten to hell all the time?" Emma, had sent flowers and a card when Autumn had burned up, she'd given the girls a place to crash a few times, and seen them drag in to meetings looking like extras in a war movie.

"What's the fun in that?"

"Do you not want to live long enough, to know happily ever after?"

"I hate that story. There is no such thing as a life that's forever happy. Life is a big bully. It pushes you around, kicking you every time you fall down, giving you hope just to make you jump through hoops and fall making a complete fool of yourself, then finally it breaks you down, and the next thing you know people are reading your Obit in the local paper."

"Why are you so cynical?"

"My mommy didn't hold me enough as a baby." Autumn rolled her eyes and propped her feet up on the dash of her '65 Mustang. She was bored with this conversation before the phone even rang.

"Are you okay, Auts?" worry tinged Emma's voice.

"Yea, I'm great. So can you get me out of the meeting or not?" Autumn yawned and hoped the conversation was over. The rest of her group had long since gone inside their cabin, she wasn't going in until the call was over. Athena would get all worked up over it and she really didn't want to hear it.

"I'll see what I can do. But Peterson really wants to meet you. Maybe we can fly out? A dinner somewhere, you only have to see him for a couple of hours, talk shop, and we're out before you can say 'cha ching'."

"I'll think about it. But, only offer that as a last resort. Get me out of this, Emz."

"Yea. Yea. You take care of that sister of yours and stay away from all pointy, sharp, or flaming objects." Emma teased.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Bye, Daemon."

Autumn didn't bother to respond snapping the phone shut. She tucked it in her pocket and climbed out of her car. They'd been back at the Resort three days now. Will talked Athena into doing research since she really couldn't do anything else. So everyday Athena sat in the library researching for cases Jen would give to hunters passing through. Sam aided in the research, since he'd taken it upon himself to baby-sit her.

"So who is he?" Dean asked as she came in.

"What?" Autumn furrowed her brow.

"On the phone, you went and locked yourself in the car, so who is he?"

"Jealous much?" she grinned passing him headed for the kitchen.

"Me? Never."

"Her name is Emma Turner, she's my agent." she explained.

"What'd she want?"

"Me to fly out to New York for a meeting with a guy wanting to buy rights to the series." she turned on the sink and started washing the dishes from lunch.

"Are you going?"

"No, I told her to get me out of it."

"Autumn Daemon master of the double lives." Autumn shook her head at Dean, skirting him when he attempted to catch her around the waist.

"I'm going to start dinner soon, you want to lay out the chicken?" she asked.

"Yea, it's in the freezer?"

"No I keep chicken under my bed."

"That would explain the smell." Dean grinned.

"Boy, I'll beat you into next week." she waved wooden spoon in his face. Dean snatched the spoon from her bopping her on the head before disappearing into the freezer.

"You talk to Marc yet?"

"I'm headed there after dinner, he just got in this morning." Autumn returned to her dishes.

"What was he doing in Atlanta?"

"Not sure, something to do with what he was tracking." Dean tossed the bag of chicken on the counter and leaned against the oven, watching her. "You could help you know."

"That's woman's work." he pointed the spoon at her. "Scrub scrub, rinse rinse."

"Dean, isn't there something you could be doing?"

"Nope, I'm all yours." he gave her his most charming smile.

"Aren't I lucky?"

Athena hobbled back to her chair dropping a book on the desk. She swore inwardly, cursing the lazy ass hunters who just came here and had all the work done for them. Sam looked up from his research, he'd taken a case of a spirit in Maryland that killed children and their mothers, he gave her an encouraging smile.

"I can get those for you." he caught her crutches before they hit the ground.

"I broke my leg not my whole body, I can still function." she rolled her eyes at the youngest Winchester.

"I know, but it"

"Sammy, I need to do this stuff on my own." she interrupted him. Sam nodded and resigned himself to his work.

Athena had gotten used to having Sam around 24/7 in the past two weeks. She knew he blamed himself for her getting kidnapped. He thought if he hadn't been arguing with Dean she would have been fine. She would do just about anything to erase that guilt from his shoulders, she hated seeing him beat himself up over what would have happened anyway. The pair worked on for another hour before an interruption in the form of Marc Lyming showed up.

"Marc I swear!" Athena tensed up when a tongue ran across her cheek.

"You swear what?" he asked teasingly before turning to Sam. "Winchester." he nodded.

"Lyming." Athena smirked amused with this exchange. "So, Angel what did you do?" he spun one of her crutches in his hands.

"I played Uncle with a shape shifter."

"I see he didn't injure your sarcasm." Marc chuckled. "Where's my favorite season?"

"With my brother in our cabin."

"Why does your tone make me think there is more going on than I want to know?" Athena patted his shoulder.

"You never had a chance anyway, lil buddy." Marc shook his head sadly.

"I heard a rumor you'll be needing a tracker?"

"Oh, yea." Sam found his opening in to the conversation.

"What are you going to be after?" Marc slid into a seat, setting the crutch to rest. Athena looked back to the book she'd been scanning, the boys were off on business now.

"Vampires." Marc's eyes gleamed with a predatory look, almost never seen in him.

"My favorite."

**A/N: Alrighty we're set up, now. Hope ya'll likey.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I've mentioned Autumn and Athena's work, the legal way they make money, and I've been trying to work it in here and there. But I had to write this chapter! **

**Chapter Two**

"Autumn wants you." Sam whispered in his ear. Dean smirked at his baby brother.

"Of course she does, who wouldn't want all of this?" Sam rolled his eyes at his brother.

"Dean, she sent me after you, would you just go see what she wants?" Dean sighed.

"Well, gentlemen my lady awaits." he put his cards down, scooting back. "Where is she?"

"The cabin, and you better move." Sam warned.

Autumn was standing in the bathroom glaring at herself in the mirror, her hair piled on top of her head in curlers, and a towel barely wrapped around her body. Dean leaned against the door's frame, and watched the red head apply mascara.

"Where you going, gorgeous?"

"Crazy, and you're coming with me." she answered looking at him through the glass.

"I've been crazy before, you don't need to dress for it."

"Yea, well, my crazy must be a little different. I laid your suit out, get a shower and get dressed."

"Why?" she brushed past him headed for her bedroom.

"Because in order to master my double life I need a date to a business meeting tonight." she answered entering her room. "And unless you want me to get one of the grubby little men from the bar to come with me, you'll get your pretty ass in the shower." she continued coming back to the bathroom with her sandwich bag of jewelry.

"Athena isn't going?"

"Not with her bum leg. Now, shower." she ordered. He hesitated a moment and she stopped her mad rush to turn to him wrapping her arms around his neck. "Please, Dork. I wouldn't ask if I thought I could make in through the night without you."

"How am I supposed to turn down a girl wearing nothing but a towel?" she pulled herself up and stole his lips.

"I owe you one."

"I'll make you work it off later." he promised. She widened her eyes and smirked.

"Whatever will I do?"

Dean came into Autumn's room, where she was sitting half in her red satin dress on her bed, sifting through a mound of stockings. Dean stopped at a small mirror hanging between the two beds in a final attempt at tying his tie. Autumn laughed at him as he got his fingers caught up in the knot.

"Dork, you zip me in my dress, and I'll take care of your tie." she slid off her bed pulling up her dress and stuffing her arms into the sleeves. Autumn gave him her back, he ran a finger up her spine smiling at the way she moved into his touch, as if he were stroking a cat. "Zip the dress." she whispered, unsure of her own voice. Dean zipped her in to the dress, stepping back to look her over, it fit like a glove, whatever business she had to take care of she didn't look like a hunter to do it. "What?" she asked suddenly when she saw him staring.

"Nothing." he answered just as quickly. She eyed him a minute before she took hold of his tie. She made quick work of tying it and getting it perfectly straight. "How'd you learn to do that?"

"We wore dresses and suits to church every Sunday," she shrugged. "I must have fixed, the guys ties a million times." Autumn stepped back to admire her work. "You clean up pretty good, Winchester."

"What do you have left?" he asked. She rolled her eyes and sat back on the bed.

"Finding a pair of hose without a runner and fixing my hair." Dean joined her on the bed to help, he'd seen plenty of nylons but never had to actually check for runs.

"Autumn?" he held up a pair of fishnet stockings and she blushed. "Why do you have these?"

"Long story." He looked at her willing her to continue. "There was a possession and the only way to get to him was to join his little following. They happened to be a little dark."

"That's not long."

"This pair is good. I never realized how many of these things I go through." she pulled up the dress tugging on the stockings.

Autumn disappeared back into the bathroom then, unraveling her hair from the curlers as she went. Dean found a spot on the couch, and waited. Before her return Sam and Athena came in, Athena collapsed into the nearest chair letting her crutches crash to the ground before she registered Dean's dress.

"What are you up to Romeo?" she asked propping her leg up on the coffee table.

"He and your sister are going to talk with a publisher." Sam answered picking up her crutches and leaning them against the table where Athena could reach them when she was ready to stand.

"I thought that was next weekend." Athena said playing with the top of her cast.

"Teenie, if you keep that up you'll pick that thing to pieces before you heal." Sam scolded. Athena stuck her tongue out at him.

"I'm going to get a sitter for you two if you can't behave." Autumn said coming out for all to see. They stared at her for a moment, she rarely wore anything other than worn out blue jeans and t-shirts, now her hair had been pinned into a bun, a long curl trailing down her neck, a red satin dress with a slit in the side up four inches above her knee, she wore make-up, chandelier earrings, and a simple silver cross necklace. "You know staring doesn't help my nerves."

"You clean up good, Daemon." Dean smirked.

Sam dumped the puzzle onto the table and propped the lid up. Athena sat across from him, humoring him by agreeing to work a puzzle. Jen had hundreds of them that had obviously been worked and reworked. He'd chosen a new picture of two wolves howling to a full moon. Athena began immediately flipping each piece heads up and isolating the edge pieces.

"Autumn said they might not come back tonight." Athena told him ignoring the flutter in her chest at being alone with Sam. It was something she was used to ignoring, every time their eyes met, or the most innocent touch she had to force down the butterflies.

"Why do you need a new publisher?" Sam asked joining her in sorting out the pieces.

"Autumn refuses to write children's books where the bad guys are fixed with love and understanding, she'd rather have the little hero children blow the monsters to hell with a shotgun filled with rock salt. So, our publisher dropped us after the last threat of a lawsuit."

"She won't bend?"

"Nope. I've tried to talk her into Care Bear-ing it but she won't do it." Athena settled into her chair.

"Do you ever do any of the writing?" he asked. They'd never really discussed the Daemon's career in depth, just covered it in a brief just the facts manner.

"I proof read, and we bounce idea's off each other, but I don't write. She doesn't draw, we both have our jobs."

"Do you have a piece of blue-black cloud?" Athena passed over four or five pieces that might be cloud.

"We have pennames, and don't put pictures of us in the books, that way no one recognizes us. When we did the book tour we'd wear wigs, contacts, and glasses to change us enough not to be noticed."

"Did you like that, the normal life?" he slid a string of pieces together and watched her nimble fingers move over the edges trying to find he exact piece she needed.

"I didn't ever think about it. I never had a choice in what I did, it was whatever this social worker said I had to do to stay with Autumn, or what the Morton's said I had to do, then Autumn and Billy-Jack ended things and she was leaving. So I either A: stay with Josh and Kit and work a farm, B: go to a college, or C: Follow Autumn, taking her ready made career, and training under your dad whenever possible. Option C let me do what I loved, and help people on the side. A meant I would see a lot of the bastard that ruined my sister and B wasn't for me. I don't really like the being tied to a school."

"So had there been an option with out hunting would you have rather done that?"

"Autty says that even when she got sick Mom was always doing things to help everyone else. I don't remember our mom, at least not until she was really sick." she stopped talking and just worked the puzzle, after a few minutes Sam decided to prod her a little.

"That doesn't answer the question."

"No, I love the hunts." She looked up and grinned from ear to ear. "Maybe not the hunts but that feeling when you waste one of those things, and know that it's never going to hurt anyone else. I just hope I live long enough to waste Billy-Jack when he refuses the light."

"Peterson." Autumn smiled at the waiter who quickly scanned the reservations book to find the name.

"I'll go see if your table is ready." he disappeared and Autumn turned to readjust Dean's tie. She'd spent the entire drive explaining who they were meeting, why they were meeting, and how they'd met, which was only a slight lie. She claimed that his father had taught her to research the legends and myths, that John had taken Autumn and Athena under his wing. Then after bumping into each other, researching the same thing, in a bar they just didn't separate.

"Aut, you're choking me." she smoothed her dress again.

"Sorry."

"You'll be fine, babe. Just pretend, like we do on hunts. If you can smooth talk a chief of police why not a publisher?"

"Auts! You look amazing!" a short round woman with dyke short brunet hair waddled up arms out stretched to embrace Autumn.

"Emma Doyle, this is Dean Winston, Dean this is Emma Doyle, my rock." Autumn introduced.

"It's just great to finally meet you." Emma took his hand pumping it up and down. "Absolutely fantastic. She doesn't do you justice, Mr. Winston." Dean glanced at Autumn hoping for help. She laced her arm through his.

"Easy on him, Emz. I'd like to keep him in one piece, at least until I've finished with him." Emma laughed, a shocking sound like someone had kicked a chicken.

"She's a joker this one." Emma poked Autumn in the gut making her cheeks poof with air. "I love your hair Auts, you belong on the cover a book, sweetie. I wish you'd let us put your story together. It's really appealing to the females, teens and young women. Some small town girl, with an abusive boyfriend, escapes all her torture and becomes a big shot children's author."

"Emma, I've told you before, my story belongs to me. I'm not selling it to some moneybags to make a little change." Autumn said firmly. Emma looked crestfallen for all of two seconds.

"I know you, Auts, eventually you always give in." the waiter returned and led them to their table. Emma made a show of ordering the most expensive wine on the menu and several appetizers Dean couldn't dream of pronouncing. "So, please tell me you two are serious. Nothing is better for your career, than settling down with a nice good looking guy, like this one, and popping out a couple of kids. Parents love mothers."

"Then I'm sorry to disappoint you, we've only been together two months."

"Two and a half." Dean corrected, he was rather proud of this, having never been with anyone this long.

"I knew I would be marrying my husband after three dates." Emma told them.

"That's because he was your best friend, long before hand." Autumn reminded her.

"Misses, sir, Mr. Peterson is here." the waiter who'd sat them returned and Dean suddenly found himself the only one sitting. Emma ran over the introductions quickly, and they returned to their seats. Mr. Peterson looked like a walrus, that was the only way Dean could think to describe the man.

"Mr. Winston, I may be employing you to bend our little ladies ear for me. She's proving to be a very stubborn girl." Dean nodded.

"No one bends her ear, sir." Autumn found his hand under the table giving it a squeeze, he could feel her tremble, she was so nervous she was shaking. He squeezed back, are you okay? She gave him a slight twitch of her lips, I'm fine.

"I've noticed that. I've been trying to snag this girl, almost since she hit the press." Mr. Peterson reached over patting Autumn's arm. "I would always defend you, you're series is too good to let a couple of busy bodies ruin it."

"Thank you, Mr. Peterson."

"I say we put ourselves to work. Autumn and Dean need to get home to Athena." Emma said as the appetizers appeared.

"Doyle we've been over this before, working before eating isn't right."

"Yes, Peterson, but my girl has a injured sister to tend." Emma played the sympathy card.

"I heard, I'm so sorry." Peterson said to Autumn.

"She'll be fine, just a broken leg. Emma don't rush the man. I left my sister in good hands, didn't we Dean-o?"

"She's with my brother." Dean volunteered. Both the publisher and agent smiled as like they'd never heard anything cuter. Dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Emma is right, however. Autumn, I've seen the copy of your last contract and I'm willing to more than sweeten the pot."

"Give it your best shot, big boy." Autumn challenged.

Dean was left to watch as the table's other three members discussed contracts. Autumn would pull him into the conversation whenever possible, usually when telling about a new story she was planning. She'd have him throw in details on the creatures. They'd drifted into normal small talk when food would arrive but it didn't last long. Emma and Peterson did most the talking, Autumn would have to force herself in. Objecting to something or other.

"I'd like to meet you again." Peterson said as they stood in the lobby saying their good-byes.

"Mr. Peterson, Emma will be in contact with you. If there is a need for us to talk again, we'll do so." Autumn answered him curtly shaking his hand. Mr. Peterson nodded his understanding.

"You've got a pistol, kid. Watch her." the man pointed a finger in Dean's face.

"I know." Peterson clapped him on the shoulder.

"Take care."

Sam hoisted Athena into his arms, she'd been drifting in and out for a while. She wouldn't go to bed. He tried to convince her to hit the hay for half an hour before her head thudded with the table. She jerked back up, her eyes darting around the room. The sparkling blue-green pools landed on him and she smiled, before folding her arms on the table and nestling her head down into them. Sam had let her sleep there while he worked on the puzzle a little longer, it was getting close to midnight, and no call from Autumn or Dean, not that he really expected one. Finally, he couldn't stare at the little broken picture any longer, or the fallen angel sitting across from him. So, Sam hoisted Athena into his arms and took her back to her bed.

"Sammy?" Athena asked.

"Yea?" Sam pulled her shoe off tossing it on the floor.

"Stay?"

"You'll be okay in here by yourself, Teenie." he started to tuck her in.

"Please," she didn't have to say the part about being afraid of being alone.

"Yea, I'll stay." Sam said.

"It's going to be two before we get home." Dean said opening the car door for Autumn.

"No, it'll be a little later than that." Conspiracy glittered in her eyes.

"What'd you have in mind?"

"I've got a bag packed in the trunk, and we're not going back to the Resort, tonight."

After their first night alone, without a little sister in the hospital, since Vegas Dean and Autumn returned to the Resort, slipping into the silent cabin. They found a half done puzzle on the kitchen table, surrounded by empty pop cans and a bowl of popcorn kernels. The couple split to their bedrooms, the boy's room was empty. Autumn, called Dean into her room. The beds had been pushed together and still sleeping, at noon, were Athena and Sam a good foot between them where the dog had crawled in.

"We should have told Emma we already have two kids and a dog." Autumn leaned back into Dean.

"Yea, we got married in Vegas and united two broken families." Dean mused. Autumn rolled her eyes yawning.

"Wanna grab a nap?"

**A/N: Alright, we'll be back on track in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"I thought you were hunting vampires not becoming them." Autumn jumped smacking her head into the bunk above her.

"Damnit!" Dean had his blade out and was looking for what had woken them so suddenly.

"Goodness."

"Marc, what are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Get your ass in the living room, I need to talk to you, almighty hunter sir." Marc bowed out.

"You're friends are the strangest." Autumn was still holding her head as she slid out of bed.

"My friends aren't the strangest, but they are a few French fries short of happy meal." Dean stood up pulling her hands away from her face.

"You're fine." On their way out they bumped into Sam and Athena who both looked like they'd been caught in the cookie jar.

"Don't ask." Sam muttered.

"Nice goose egg there, sis."

"Hunters are always complaining that trackers are slow," Marc teased from his seat on the couch.

"Hey, I'm a cripple you can't blame me." Athena maneuvered her way around the couch to drop into the arm chair, the others right behind her.

"How are you doing?" Will asked Athena, he was leaning against the widow frame staring into the main run between the cabins.

"I'm great Willy Wonka, tomorrow I'm going to be in a triathlon."

"Won't that be a little difficult?" he grinned. Sam sat on the arm rest of Athena's chair, while the other two hunters took seats on the couch by Marc.

"Eh, difficult ain't nothing. We do difficult all the time." she shrugged, Will shook his head at the carelessness of her statement.

"What d'ya have for us, Marc?" Autumn asked, ready to get to business.

"I thought I was right, but I had to look it up. The nest you're after is the one that killed his mom." Will's boots beat against the wooden planks on the floor steady as the drums of his forefathers, as he paced the floor in front of the fire. Marc shifted in his seat, Autumn slid a hand over his knee, knowing the feeling of losing your mother to something you couldn't fight. "Now, he's wanting to go on this hunt with ya. I've asked him to stay here with Teenie."

"No. Hell no!" Athena protested. "I'm going. You guys aren't leaving me here!"

"Athena look at it like this, if it were one of us with a broken leg you'd never let us go, right?" Autumn leveled with her sister.

"Then wait."

"Teenie, now you're just being selfish." the woman scolded her sister.

"Girls!" Will's voice snapped their spat like a whip. "If you'd let me finish." he continued when the pair had turned to look at him. "We don't know where they are. Marc's been working on that this week, but it's going to take a while."

"Not as long as it'll take to track anything else." Marc grinned. "There are only five nests in the western hemisphere. Three of those in North America, and only two in the Untied States. These two have divided the country off like two rival gangs in a city. There is the eastern nest and the western nest, lucky us, I know a lot about the western nest." There was unhidden malice in his eyes, Luther's boys had killed his mother and he'd never forgotten it. "Kudos to your daddy for killing their leader, but that does make it a little harder to track them."

"But you can still do it?" Sam asked.

"He said it was a little harder, Sam, not impossible." Will defended his friend.

"So what do you need?" Dean interjected before his brother and Will could start.

"I need the coordinates for their last nest, after that give me a couple of days and I'll have a list of their nests since then."

"They're like werewolves that way right?" Autumn questioned.

"Yes and no. Werewolves around here usually try to stay out of trouble, the vampires look for it. So, the werewolves make it top priority to move as soon as they get the human police on their asses. Vampires kick it up a notch and keep going until they lose someone important before leaving. That's why their numbers are so small. They're all idiots." Marc answered her.

"Okay," Will rang his hands, he was like Athena in that aspect they both need something to do at all times, ready for a fight. "Where do you want us until then?"

"Wait half a damn second!" Athena pushed herself up in her chair trying to make herself noticed.

"Athena, you don't have to swear so much." Autumn chided.

"I'm not two, Autty."

"What's wrong now, princess?" Will asked his ex.

"If I can't go you're not going."

"Baby, I'm going. Nobody hurts you and me not hurt them back." Will stopped his moving to sit in front of her on the coffee table.

"The vampires didn't hurt me, William." Athena grabbed for her crutches rocking out of the chair, putting as much distance between her and Will as possible.

"No, you're right. The vamps didn't hurt you but they hired someone to, and that's worse." he watched after her.

"Will, tables are for glasses not asses."

"Sorry." he stood up awkwardly.

"Is there anything else, Marc?" Autumn queried after getting onto the native.

"Yes, Gus and Andy say since Teenie can't work her shifts you need to pick them up."

"Marc, you can tell them I don't play barmaid."

"They said you'd say that, and said that if you didn't do it they'd show Dean the video." Autumn went stiff, nodding.

"I'll be there."

Will wrangled Sam and Dean into going out and training with him, which meant the three of them would be beating the life out of a bunch of poor first timers. Marc went straight to his room to start the search, after Dean had worked the coordinates out for him. Athena let her sister help her to the kitchen table where she continued working on her puzzle while the older Daemon went to start dinner.

"What video could a couple of bartenders have that would scare my fearless big sis?" Athena asked innocently. "A bad porno?"

"Yes, Teenie, when you and Will went on a salt'n'burn I made a porno with Duck." Autumn said cheekily pulling out a frying pan.

"Really, Duck? Can his hips even move anymore?" Autumn winced at the image this produced of the drunk and found a quick come back.

"Oh believe me he can move!"

"Eww! Autumn, that's totally disgusting!" Athena rubbed her eyes, "God, the images won't go away! Damn!" Autumn laughed at her sister's antics.

"Yea, can you imagine what goes on in my head? I thought it up."

"You poor thing. Would you like me to kill you?" Athena asked with genuine concern.

"No, I'll be okay." Autumn shook her head sadly and looking through the freezer.

"I won't, will you get me a shot of whiskey?… No, screw that, I need the whole bottle."

"No, kiddo, you have to live with that image."

"Why, what'd I do to you?"

"Nothing to me personally, but you could have been nicer to Will, he's just trying to help. He still cares about you."

"When we talked, back at the motel, he told me that he wanted to marry me." Athena confessed, she'd never told her sister what she and Will had talked about.

"I know, I helped him pick out the ring."

"You knew! You never told me, and you knew!?!"

"Well duh. Dude, I'm not going to run to you and tell you your boyfriend has an engagement ring and wants to get hitched."

"I'd tell you." Athena pouted.

"You just like to ruin my fun."

"Johnson, Strait, and Brooks, if you want to live through your first hunt you have to learn to run." Will said dropping his whistle.

"Dude, we've run five miles now. Give me a break." Strait complained.

"And you're running another one. You don't call your superior officer 'dude'." Dean pointed off in the direction of the makeshift track.

"Gawd this sucks." Strait panted before chugging down his water bottle and taking off running.

"Anyone else have a complaint?" Dean turned to the other boys. Johnson and Brooks both shook their heads.

"Sir, no. Sir." they saluted smartly. Sam shook his head, cascading droplets of sweat.

"At ease men." he walked up behind his brother, and Athena's ex. "Don't you think you're being a little hard on them?"

"No, dude." Will said indignantly. "They've got as much chance at surviving a hunt as a worm has crossing a driveway in the noon sun."

"Yea, Hiawatha, and we were better our first hunts?" Will balled up his fists and Dean stepped away from his brother.

"Hiawatha? That's good. That's really good." Will turned stepping closer to Sam. "You want to tell me how your first hunt went? Because mine I ended up knocked on my ass and would have been dead had Jen not stepped in. I'd bet my last breath that you weren't any better. It's our damn job to teach these maggots to do better than us!" They were in each other's faces now, and Sam wasn't backing down.

"You learn from your mistakes and no body goes out alone their first time."

"That demon that killed your mom and pretty little girl toy ain't the only bad ass out there. He's stirring up everything!"

Sam drew back and decked Will. Tackling him to the ground, the other man didn't take it kindly, hitting back. Neither paid attention to the crowd just trying to beat the shit out of the other. Brooks ran for Jen, and Dean tried to get in, with out getting himself hit, to drag his brother out. Will managed to pin Sam, smashing his fist into the taller man's face. Sam flipped him over his head, providing Dean with the perfect opportunity to drag his brother out.

"Sammy! Stop!" he wrapped his arms around his brother to keep Sam from hitting anything else. "Johnson, take Will in to Jen. Everyone else!" Dean started half carrying Sam back to the cabin. "Show's over."

"What the hell happened to you?" Athena was up out of her chair and hobbling to the freezer for ice the moment she saw Sam.

"College-boy decided to fight Will." Dean shoved his brother into Athena's vacated chair.

"Autumn, bring the first aid kit in here!" Athena yelled bringing Sam the ice for his eye.

"I don't need it, Autty!" Sam hollered over her.

"Sam," Athena sighed sitting down next to him and gingerly touching the cut over his left eye. Sam hissed but didn't pull away. "What were you thinking?"

"He wasn't." Dean wouldn't even look at his brother. "What is going on with you two? Will's a good guy, he's one of the few hunters I've met who has his head on straight."

"He's just like your dad." Autumn said coming in the room, kit-less. "He thinks by leaving the people he cares about most he'll keep them safe, and that insane drills will make you strong enough to survive anything." She went straight for the oven where she was baking potatoes, too lazy to peel and mash them today.

"Let him talk." Athena cupped Sam's face in her hand taking the ice to hold it for him. "You're hair is nasty, Sammy." she teased brushing away his bangs to get better access to his forehead.

"Dean go cool off. Take a shower or something, you stink." she poked the potato, she'd extracted from the oven, with a fork. "Athena, after you're done icing Sammy down could you put your puzzle away?"

"No, Sammy and I worked hard on this." she nodded toward the still incomplete puzzle.

**A/N: Leave a review and I promise there will be more Sam/Will angst.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Finally, we're moving on to the hunt. I'm surprised at the number of hits this story is getting, its getting more reviews faster than any of my stories. So thanks guys! This is the best holiday gift I could ask for.**

**Chapter Four**

Autumn stuck her pen in her hair and went to the bar to repeat the same boring order. Hunters had no imagination, they all ordered the same thing, if they were idle they got a beer, if they'd just come off a hunt that left them beaten to hell they ordered a shot of whiskey, if they wanted to get a buzz going to dull the noise made by their own personal Jiminy Cricket they started with beer would get tired of the time it took and move to Jack Daniel's. She sighed, how did Athena mange this day in and day out? Gus sat the four beers on the counter and eyed her.

"You okay, kid?"

"Just fine." she placed the bottles on her tray and took them to the table. She ignored the bad lines and returned to the bar to await the sound of an empty bottle or glass.

"I heard the baby Winchester got into it with the boss?" she nodded. "So who will blow first John or Jen?"

"All I know is if Red were still around Will never would have dreamt of fighting another hunter of nothing."

"Autumn, do you really think those boys are fighting over nothing?"

"Gussy, what else do they have to fight over?"

It took a week before not only the bruises had faded, but Marc had come up with a general location of Kate's nest. Once again he called a meeting in the Daemon's living room, Will and Sam had been kept as far apart as possible. Dean kept himself between on the couch while Marc laid his research out on the coffee table. Autumn sat on the armrest while Athena tried to lounge down in it.

"In December they were living in Journey, Oklahoma, that would be when they ran into your shape shifter. Apparently he snuck back in after they released him, to get you guys, and set some of their prisoners free. No one believed the story about vampires, but it made the papers." he indicated to the paper clippings. "It wasn't enough to make them leave the state."

"So, you know where they are?" Athena asked.

"I know what town they're in, yes. But I'm not telling unless you'll let me hunt with you." Marc haggled.

"Marc, you're a tracker." Will reminded.

"If you remember, bro, Athena and Autumn started in tracking."

"They started there because John, and Dad were afraid that a couple of Midwest rednecks would get their asses handed to them." Will argued.

"Down, Willy." Autumn stepped between the two. "Marc's been on hunts before, hell we took him with us several times. He's dealt with vampires before."

"They are his specialty." Athena added.

"We bring him with us." Dean said ending the discussion. "Now where are our ticks?"

_March 25th, 2007, Shetland , Oklahoma_

"Don't answer that."

Autumn pointed at the cell phone ringing on the bed. Dean picked it up and read the ID, for the fifth time already today Athena was calling. It was only eight thirty. They'd left Athena and Will back at the Resort, Sam and Marc were sharing a room next to Autumn and Dean's. They'd gotten in town just after midnight, bought two rooms and crashed. Now they were showering, and making plans for the day. It wasn't any different than most plans. They'd split up cover more ground and make a list tonight of the most logical places for vampires to be hiding.

"You're going to ignore your sister?" Dean grinned flopping onto their bed.

"Yes, I'm being very grown up. Don't get to comfortable, as soon as they're ready we're headed out."

"Sam's already ready."

"Then why are you still here?" she cocked her hips, thumbs hooked in her belt hoops.

"Don't get sassy with me, I was waiting on you to get out of the shower." he grabbed for her only to have her dance out of his reach.

"No. No. No." she wagged a finger at him. "You have to do your work before you get to play."

"Who told you that?"

"Don't matter to said it, it's true." she pressed herself into the wall creeping out away from him as he stood rolling his eyes.

"Fine, I'll go get Sam and start questioning the towns people. You and Cap'n Weirdo going to the find out what this place has to offer in abandoned property?"

"Of course, I don't think the locals would like it much if he licked them." she chuckled.

"Definitely a deal breaker." he grabbed his wallet stuffing it in his back pocket and headed out the door.

_Back at the Resort, same day_

"Don't touch that." Athena swung her crutch at Will, who was trying to work the puzzle still lying on the table.

"The point of puzzles is to put them together, not leave them sit collecting dust."

"Sam and I are working it, just leave it be." Will put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Fine. So, what are we going to do for fun?" he bounced his brow suggestively.

"I've seriously got to get new friends." Athena muttered washing a hand over her face.

"We used to have so much fun in the cabin when your sister was away. What happened?"

"Dude, you left me because you were being stalked by an evil blankie, you didn't say anything, didn't try and contact me. Then to top it all of after almost two years you leave my sister a letter asking for help." Athena summed up the larger part of what had gone wrong.

"You're forgetting the part about dropping the marriage bomb on you in a stingy motel in the middle of nowhere."

"Will, if you knew the answer why ask the question?" Athena asked in a bored tone.

"Let's go to the bar, or we can get a few of those research projects your doing out of the way. Maybe look some stuff up on that demon the Winchesters are after."

"Or you could leave me alone. I'm a big girl I can take care of myself, you know."

"That leg begs to differ, sweet heart." he nodded toward her plaster encased leg.

"This proves it. I was injured while on duty, taking out a shape shifter who was endangering the life of one of the best physicians we have." she forced herself out of her chair. "This is a minor sacrifice compared to what we could have lost if I hadn't gotten myself kidnapped."

"You're saying you did that on purpose?"

"I'm saying that I can take care of myself, and you were only left behind because you and Sammy can't get along." she started picking her way to the door, avoiding the throw rugs. "Your not making an hourly wage babysitting me."

"I can't believe this." he followed her. "You think I want to baby-sit? I just want to spend a little time with my best girl."

"Will, isn't there some supernatural groupie in the bar you could feed that line to?"

"Haha, Teenie. You want to tell me who pissed in your Wheaties this morning?"

"Same person who put a bee in my bonnet." she got the door open and couldn't have been happier to see Duck was near by. She flagged him over to help her down the stairs. "Duck, Will wants someone to shoot with, but I can't balance properly, do you think you could show him what real hunters are made outta?" Duck grinned a near toothless grin.

"Sure, miss Athena. I'd love to get the little Raining Cloud out of your hair."

As soon as he was sure she had her footing he grabbed hold of Will and started dragging him off toward the training field. Athena laughed to herself as she hopped her way to the library. Will was right, she needed to get a few research projects out of the way. She was just finishing up the research needed for a routine salt 'n' burn when a hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Did you eat yet?" Jen asked a smirk tingeing her lips. Athena shook her head and clicked print on the computer's screen.

"No, I was too busy trying to rid myself of your baby brother." she answered.

"Keep a spray bottle of water on you, works wonders." Jen joked.

"Shoot him like a cat?" Jen shrugged with an amused look on her pretty face. "I've got this one wrapped up." Athena nodded at the computer. "It makes six cases this week."

"How far you going with these?"

"Back as far as I can trace, and up to date as it gets. By the time you hand them out the guy'll just have to head to the town and pick up the local paper."

"You haven't been sleeping, since they left."

"I'm fine, Jenny." Athena was ready to slip into defense as soon a just cause showed itself.

"Why don't you bunk here in the big house? It'll be easier for you to get around, and if you can't sleep you can always come down here and work or go sit in the bar. You won't have to be alone." Jen offered, a nearly unheard of deal.

"Will you talk to Will, make sure he knows he's not my keeper?" Athena asked letting Jen know she'd consider it.

"I'll talk to Will, he's just trying to keep you company."

"I'm good, if I want his company I'll find him." Jen patted her shoulder leaning in closer.

"Sis, you've let the dog go but he's not going to leave your yard until you chase him away with a shotgun."

"Don't you have people to scar for life?" Athena shrugged off her friend. Jen chuckled before taking hold of her wheels and rolling out of the room.

"How would one get there?" Autumn laughed. "Normal people don't talk like that, Marc." They were leaving a diner they'd had lunch in and headed back to the city building. Marc had floored she by talking up a cute little waitress. He hadn't gotten much useful information out of her but, Autumn was sure Dean would commend him on getting the girl's number.

"Sure they do! I see it in the movies all the time." he answered her sounding like he should be on a playground.

"In the movies, Marc, what are you four? Just because something happens in the movies don't mean it happens in the real world."

"Stop ragging on me, Autty. It ain't like I get out much, besides movies beat the hell out of the real world." Autumn threw an arm around his shoulder, which was a feat since he was a head taller than she was, and steered him back toward down town.

"I rag because I love." she grinned.

"What do you do when you hate?"

"Usually, I fill your ass with rock salt." Marc laughed at her.

"I like the sounds of the property she was talking about. The locals already believing it was haunted, means you'll get a couple of naive kids out there, easy food, and it's already out of the way."

"Little farm house, big barns, recent activity." Autumn agreed. "But is it too good to be true?"

"Want to check out the haunting story?" Marc read her mind.

"I would rather not get a double whammy, yea."

**A/N: I know I bounced a bit, but I like keeping you updated on what's going on with Athena, and hopefully the lines keep it a little straighter as to where the hell we are... I know I got lost on the reread of Shifting. ALSO, Katie and I have been making dolls whenever we get REALLY bored or I have writer's block. Most of the dolls are Autumn and Athena as we'll NEVER see (ie: wearin' next to nuthin' and willing to go in public like that.), but there are some, like Autumn's dress she wore to the meeting with her publisher, and what they wore to Thanksgiving dinner. Several of Athena in what she just wears everyday (these girls have a larger wardrobe than I do). But the point of bringing this up, is I wanted to know if ya'll would like to see them. If so I'll upload them into my photobucket and put a link on here for you.** **I could post a new doll with each chapter if you like, -shrugs- just puttin' out there. **

**Happy Holidays guys. I hope you have a great one, I mean that from the bottom of my heart, you guys have been so great to me with the reviews you deserve an awesome holdiday... I get all misty eyed when I read your reviews (well not misty eyed but my equal being I go into a writing frenzy after pacing my bedroom for a half hour)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's your first doll, http://img. I hope it works if not just give me a holler and I'll send it to you personally.**

**Chapter Five**

"We done?" Sam asked ducking into the Chevy.

"Yea, I don't think we're going to get anything else out of these people." Dean sighed, agitated with the townspeople, as he slid the key in the ignition. He never thought he'd be glad to get back to a motel room before, but now there was promise of a warm body in his bed. "What did we get, anyway, Sammy?"

"Recent disappearances of high school kids going out to the old farms on the outskirts of town. Local youth under a curfew, to cut the numbers down. Several business owners want the roads in and out of town closed down at night, because the multiple cars have shown up abandoned, their owners disappearing into thin air." Sam reeled off what they'd found. Shetland was a buzz with conversation about the disappearances. If Dean didn't know better, he would have thought they were jumping the gun. Shetland had never had any big crimes, the occasional domestic violence, public drunkenness, and the graduates getting a little too rowdy, but nothing to cause Amber Alerts, or real fear.

"Aut and Marc should have a list of places to start checking." Dean slid the car off Main St. on to the road their motel was tucked into.

"Get them and grab dinner?" Dean nodded.

"Sounds like a plan."

Dean tossed his keys on the bed, shedding his coat and draping it over the nearest chair. He could hear water running in the bathroom, but that wasn't what drew him to the dinky little room. Autumn was playing one of her country CD's and singing along. So he eased open the door, careful not to make a sound. Dean could just make out her form behind the plastic mold encrusted curtain shampoo bottle held up to her mouth like a microphone.

"Goodbye blues I'm not gonna sing you no more  
I finally got my hands on what I've been looking for  
I've found me a man that knows how to keep me eatin' from the palm of his hand  
Talk about sunshine I've got the sunshine man  
Man what a man what a man what a man my man is  
There's not a day when he doesn't say he needs me and loves me  
Man what a man what a man what a man my man is  
He's always around when I'm down the most with two lovin' arms to hold me close  
Man what a man what a man what a man my man is  
Hello rainbow I've finally found your pot of gold  
I finally got my hands on a real live dream I can hold  
I've found me a man that knows how to keep me sittin' up on cloud nine  
Talk about the music I hear it all the time  
Man what a man what a man..." Autumn belted out the lyrics, her voice entwining with the woman singing from the mini speakers of the portable DVD player. Dean leaned against the sink listening, Athena was right, Autumn had a decent voice. When the song ended he applauded.

"SHIT!" she jumped just managing to catch her balance before she fell out of the shower onto the floor at his feet. "What the hell are you doing back so early?" He laughed at her hooking a towel over the hand she extended from behind the curtain.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"We went out to talk to a Mr. Rogers, he lives next door to this place the vampires might be at, and Marc thought it would be fun to push me into a cowpie." she explained pulling the curtain once she had the towel wrapped around herself. She pointed at the shit covered jeans in the corner.

"Did Mr. Rogers have anything to say?" Autumn slide past him grabbing her clean change of clothes on her way.

"Yea, scrub it with Tide." she answered trying to get dressed without dropping what modesty the towel pretended to provide.

"I didn't know you could sing." he trailed her out of the bathroom, and chose to drop the subject of Mr. Rogers.

"And as long as we were never so strapped for cash that I had to down some Jaeger and sign up for a karaoke competition at a bar, you wouldn't have ever found out." she pulled a t-shirt over her head and let her towel fall, sufficiently covered now.

"You can handle Jaeger?" he asked remembering the way she'd handled tequila the night they'd met up back in October.

"When it suits me. You didn't answer my question, why are you back so early?"

"You can't read can you?" he teased.

"Oh, the curfew thing." she checked her watch, " You still have an hour before that takes effect."

"Would you like to eat?" Autumn laced her belt around her waist and dropped on the bed to tug on her boots.

"Cha."

Marc had Autumn's laptop open on his bed, feet in the air as he lay on his stomach going over a sizable document. He nodded when Sam came in but didn't offer any conversation. After a few minutes he started typing something in at the bottom of his page. His tinfoil dunce hat had been reduced to a layer of tinfoil molded inside a baseball cap. It didn't attract as much attention, as long as he didn't have the wrong team logo on it.

"I'm thinking they're in a so called haunted house four miles outside town." Marc said just as Sam was settling into the silence.

"So called?" he was hesitant to ambush vampires in a house that's already haunted.

"We ran a background on the place, no body killed on, or around the property. No murders, no suicides, hell we couldn't find anything notable other than a prize winning hog was raised there back in the '30's . I doubt Miss Piggy is hangin' out to haunt a place."

"Why?"

"Well, she is a puppet." Marc broke eye contact with the screen to stare at him with an 'are you an idiot' look.

"I was talking about the house." he clarified.

"It's really a farm, but that was the last place the kids were headed. Cops went out but the place was still all boarded up."

"So they left it alone, how could anyone fake that?" Marc nodded in annoyance.

"When will the fuzz figure it out?" the younger man asked.

"Usually they don't."

Autumn and Dean came in a few minutes later and drug the boys out for dinner. As always the conversation stayed close to the hunt. Marc asking to hear tales of their previous encounters with vampires. Sam was a little put off when Marc looked at Autumn and told her he already knew all about her bloodsucking hunts. Both Winchesters made separate attempts to turn the conversation in that direction but Marc would spin it back around. He had a list of supplies needed to hunt vampires, twice as many techniques, and Autumn would nod along with all the information the youngest member of their party spewed out, as if she already knew this.

"It's Kate we're dealing with again." Autumn sighed mixing the food on her plate.

"Red tried taking over Ma's work but he didn't live long enough for this nest, Autty." Marc grinned with malice. Sam could certainly see why most people steered clear of Marc, when something hurt him he obsessed over it. He's course for revenge was a little more refined and passive than John's but it was fueled by the same passion. "You guys, used dead man's blood?"

"Yea, I lifted some from a funeral home." Dean confirmed.

"I've got some in my pack, never leave home without it. I liked your dad's approach of poisoning them long distance before getting into the nitty-gritty head chopping."

"You carry blood with you?" Sam asked stunned.

"You carry silver and rock salt bullets, salt, and holy water. I'm more into the vampire run of things, so I carry the blood of a dead dude." Marc shrugged as if they were discussing him traveling with an ant farm instead of blood.

"How much you have?" Autumn slid in before Sam could further point out the disgustingness of keeping human blood.

"Not much, but enough, you have to keep it cool otherwise it'll go bad. Like coleslaw." Marc smirked at Sam knowing it made his skin crawl. Dean laughed and reached for the bill at the end of the table.

"Nuh uh." Autumn swatted his hand. "You got it last time, it's my turn."

"You paid for my dinner at that fancy pants place." Dean argued.

"I only had to pay for half of it, the rest comes out of Peterson's pocket, and even that half was out of money I wasn't ever going to see anyway."

"I'm paying, Aut." Dean said firmly. Autumn shook her head, sliding a hand in her pocket to find her money.

"Do they do this often?" Marc asked Sam leaning over talking in a stage whisper.

"You were asleep when they fought over who was going to pay for the rooms."

"He's right!" Autumn smacked two twenties on the table. "You paid for the rooms, it's only right that I get the meals."

"Autumn."

"Dean." they glared at each other a moment, just long enough for the waitress to sneak by pick up Autumn's money and the bill.

"You did that on purpose." Dean accused.

"Yea, and?" Autumn slunk out of the booth pulling down her shirt as she righted herself. "What do you think I did to buy Scarlet? A girl's gotta know when to snatch her money and run."

_Raining Cloud's Hunter's Resort_

Sleeping in the 'big house' did ease Athena, more than she'd expected. She worked through a whole case a day, and still had down time. Athena had never realized how many hunts she'd been on until she was writing notes in the margin of her research for future hunters to read. Jen must have actually talked to Will because he'd only drop by every couple of hours to check on her, otherwise he was out brutally training first timers. It made her wonder about how he, Jen, Sammy, and Dean had been raised, knowing what was out there and being turned into hunters before they could count past twenty.

Autumn called after every meal. She didn't have a lot to say, but hearing her sister's voice eased her worries about where she was and if she was okay. It was like college all over again, at least this time the Morton's weren't hanging around. Athena cracked her fingers and stretched her arms above her head. It wasn't quiet 9 yet and she was already deep into a new project. Jen sat in jeans, flannel button up, and leather vest on the opposite side of the room. She was trying to figure out Gus and Andy's orders for the bar, and from the look on her face having a hell of a time doing it.

"I know you don't want me around but hear me out." she stifled a jump when Will started talking. She hadn't noticed him yet, but there he was smirk on his face knowing he'd scared her. Once long ago they'd made a game out of sneaking up on each other.

"I never said I didn't want you around, I just don't want you to baby sit. You wanna hang, hon, feel free." he pulled a seat out and sat down across from her, managing to block her view of Jen.

"You're paranoid, I'd never baby sit you. Not that I'd mind spanking you if you misbehaved."

"Will, you didn't get away with that when we were together what makes you think it'll fly now?"

"If at first you don't succeed."

"What do you want, Willy?" He gave her a level look and she knew what it was he wanted, the one thing she couldn't return.

"There's a gig up in Canada, a couple of the newbies are headed up that way. Jen don't want me crossing national lines to hunt."

"You want me to talk her into letting you go?" she asked. He smiled sweetly, and she knew she'd given in.

"It would make me a very happy man." he nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll force her into a break for lunch and talk to her. But no promises, I kind of agree. We've got enough crap going on here without going to other countries."

"Athy, you heard what Marc was saying about the vampires right? Don't it make sense to deal with the supernatural as a whole not little broken bits." Will stood up, he was going to remove himself before he got too carried away. His family had been hunting for so long that most of the states this side of the Mississippi were just dreams at the time they started. He didn't see the divisions, he only saw bad things that needed stopped, she had once admired this take on the world. But after being out there it was too much.

"I'll talk to Jen." Athena vowed. He put a hand on her arm, gently squeezing.

"Oh and there's a kid in the bar that you should probably talk to."

**A/N: It's not as long as I wanted, but I killed myself getting this out. The next chapter will be longer, and I'm toying with a Christmas One Shot... I might write it and put it up just for you dears. Anyway I'm off to haunt the living room, I'm a freaking night owl this week. Can't sleep. Thanks for your reviews and I'll see you soon.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Miss me much? Sorry it's taken so long but I was having trouble with this chapter. I knew where I wanted to go but couldn't get there. Writer's block tends to be a very good roadblock. But I'm back on track, and this should start flowing more easily. Sorry about the lack of anything noteable in Chapter Five but since I started this fic it's been like pulling teeth to get details out of Autumn and Athena, usually I can't get them to shut up. So anyway send along your thoughts ya'll. OH and here's your dolls http://img. Six

"No one chooses this job." Duck growled at the kid who had walked in demanding to know everything about everything.

"Right. Like I'm gonna believe you old man. You always have a choice. You can fight or you can roll over and die. It's a easy as that. Now, who is going to at least give a kid a fighting chance?" the kid was cute. Maybe fifteen, chocolate brown hair, obviously cut at home with a salad bowl on his head, sparkling green eyes, and broad shoulders despite his thin as a rail body. Athena shook her head at the kid, he didn't know what he was getting into.

"Nother round of Jack for our buddies in the corner." she told Gus, who was tending bar this evening.

"You and Autumn chose the job," Gus pointed out. "Maybe you should talk to him." Athena bit her lip and cast a weary glance at Will sitting in the corner watching the boy.

"Hey kid, you gotta name?" she shouted across the bar room and every conversation ended as all eyes landed on her. The boy spun around and took her in, his mouth fell open, and for a moment she wished she didn't look like a cheap whore.

"Jimmy." he said his voice cracking. She smiled and started hobbling towards him. Longing to use Autumn's toy soldier stride.

"I'm Athena, Jimmy." he smiled.

"Hi." she gave him an airy chuckle.

"Howdy. So what's the story. We ain't too easy to find, so you must have on hell of a story." she could feel Will's eye boring into the back of her head.

"What makes you think I have a story?" he asked squaring himself off to look tough.

"Kiddo, Gus, there behind the bar lost his son to a vamp. I lost my uncle to spook. Duck there, the one that was yelling at you, he lost his wife and kids to rouge werewolf. There's a man that passes through from time to time that lost his right arm and his brother to one hell of a poltergeist. We've all lost something to something, and that's what drives us into this line of work. We're damaged garbage that the rest the world wants to fix with a steady diet of pills, trips to the physc ward, and a over priced shrink. If you found us you've got the same issues, so who or what was it?" she shifted her weight to her easing the pain in her leg and smiled. "And you damn well better not say a demented truck driver hit your puppy."

_Shetland_

"You're going to have to slow down if you don't want to kill me." Marc pulled on John's leash. Sam and Dean were out ahead of the group and Autumn hung back with Marc, who was determined to prove he was useful to the group.

"John ease up." she ordered and the dog's pace slowed considerably. "That's a good boy."

"How'd you do that?" Marc looked at her as if she'd just destroyed the yellow-eyed demon by saying 'hi'.

"You can't have a big dog in Scarlet cross country without him being well trained."

"Like you trained John?" Marc smirked.

"You don't train John Winchester." she bumped her shoulder into him.

"So you have an understanding? You're his lapdog and call him when his boys get in trouble, so he'll let you take care of him when he gets off a hunt."

"Marc, why don't you hunt?" she asked glancing at him before letting her eyes go back to the hunters in front of them.

"Red took me in after Mom died. He always made sure that the hunters left me alone, that they didn't mess with me. He did everything my dad didn't hang around to do, all he asked is that I didn't get involved in the hunts beyond researching."

"So why is this one different?"

"Because these are the monsters that killed my mom. If you could bring down what killed your mom wouldn't you do it?" Autumn nodded, she could understand the thought.

"Less chitchat make with the walkie walkie." Dean chided turning to walk backward and watch them. Autumn rolled her eyes at him.

"You're going to walk into something." she warned. After another day of poking around Dean had ordered them into the Impala, dog included, to check out Mr. Rogers' neighbor. She and Marc had filled the Winchester boys in on all the details on their conversation with Rogers, not that there were many. He'd pretty much told them that the kids had moved away, and after their parents died the house was boarded up and left alone. He'd noticed some activity, assumed it was just teens looking for a cheap scare.

"I will not."

"Yea, Autty, didn't you know Dean has eyes in the back of his head." Sam bit back a chuckle, trying to remember that they were creeping up on a house possible being used as the home of vampires.

"Eyes in the back of my head, Aut." Dean pointed at the back of his head.

"How did you get mixed up with a cocky bastard, like him?" Marc asked. Autumn shrugged.

"Umph." John barked rushing forward, breaking free from Marc, to lick Dean's face.

"Your eyes work really well, Dorko." she offered him a hand up from the ground where he'd landed after tripping over a mislaid log.

"It's dark, they don't see well in the dark." he ignored her hand and climbed to his feet.

"I don't know how the big boys roll, and all, but aren't we supposed to be quiet when stalking prey?" Marc asked. Sam dropped back to stay close to Marc, he'd forgotten Marc didn't do much hunting and would need the most protecting incase of anything nasty with a lust for human blood popped out.

"Ya'll see that?" Autumn asked unleashing her dog and pointing toward a form laying out behind the house.

"Stay here." Dean ordered swinging his cross-bow up prepared to shoot anything that approached him. Autumn started to say something but he silenced her with a look, "Don't move." Sam watched as their 'fearless leader' eased forward towards what was lain so haphazardly in the yard. John crept in front of him, fur on end, and lips curled back in a snarl. The two remaining hunters and the tracker pressed themselves into the back wall of the old farmhouse and watched. Dean knelt down beside the object, he was too far away and it was too dark for the others to tell what it was, and extended a hand touching it. He tugged a lock of his dark blonde hair and motioned for assistance. The hair tug meant Autumn, had it been his ear Sam would have been the wanted member of their party.

"What?" Autumn asked when she was a few feet away from him. Dean nodded toward the ground and she sucked in a quick breath. You see bodies all the time hunting, but it never made it easy to see them mangled and so young. "Shit."

"She's still alive." he told her. She dropped down next to the girl stroking away blood matted locks of hair.

"It's okay, now." she whispered softly letting her fingers trail to the girl's neck checking the pulse herself. "It's not strong enough, you see anything?"

"It's a trap, Aut, but I don't see anything yet." He stood as guard over the two females, his eyes constantly sweeping over the details of everything surrounding them.

"Okay," Autumn disarmed her bow and sat it down next to her. She looked the girl over she was dressed warmly, though her clothes were torn and bloody. Her left arm had nearly been torn off and laid completely limp, Autumn couldn't tell in this light, or lack there of, if she'd have to lose the limb. "I'll get her to the car, you got my back?"

"And your front." Dean cracked.

Autumn gingerly scooped the girl up in her arms, she staggered to her feet trying to even out the new weight. The dog picked up her bow in his jaws trotting out ahead of them. Sam took the weapon when John got close enough, and Marc scurried back to the car to open the door. By the time they got to the car Autumn was soaked in the girl's blood.

Jimmy blinked sucking in his lip to chew. "What happened to your leg?"

"Shape shifter a few weeks back. What happened to your hair?"

"Mom, few weeks back." Athena grinned and collapsed into an uncomfortable wooden chair, in the bar. Jimmy took the seat across from her sitting down their cokes.

"So you have a mom, what are you doing out here kid?" she asked afraid of the answer.

"She's not really my mom. My mom died when I was little, she's my step-mom." he hurriedly explained.

"But she raised you, and you call her mom. Which brings me back to the question of you being here."

"I heard the bar-guy say something about Autumn, that your sister?" Athena nodded. "She hunts?" she grunted an affirmative. "Big sister or little sister?"

"She's older but she acts younger half the time." she answered already tired with this line of questioning. "You have siblings?"

"Had." he hung his head and she knew she'd finally hit the right nerve.

"What happened?" she asked attentive, afraid of scaring him off.

"Some bitches killed her." he looked up from his shoes suddenly. "Is it alright I say that word?" Athena smiled, doing her best not to laugh, here he was about to tell her about his sister's death and he was afraid of cursing.

"I ain't yo momma." He gave her a fleeting smile.

"Cool."

"How'd they kill her?" she pressed on, scooting closer to the table, considering reaching across for his hands. If nothing else this action would stop him from picking at the cuticles and hang nails.

"Voodoo or something." he shook his head, and his shoulders went rigid.

"You want to tell me about it?"

"Faith was a good girl. You know the straight A, clean nose, daddy's girl type? She volunteered at the nursing home, reading to the old geezers. She loved doing that stuff, then some dickhead teacher talks her into tutoring this jock. Fay and the jock start hanging out a lot, he's over a couple times a week to study or she'd go to his place." Jimmy shrugged. "Our folks were so happy, she was finally getting out. Then some jealous prepy chicks start shoving her in the halls, writing stuff on her locker, being real pains. Fay was used to stuff like this, she was the only one in her class to pass this test once and someone spread a rumor that she slept with the teacher. But it didn't stop at school. There were phone calls, and notes in the mail box, like with newspaper cut out words and everything. If anything Fay and Jock-boy just chilled more. He'd come over on Friday nights and they'd watch Smackdown, if there was a game on he'd come over, we have a big screen, and they'd watch the game."

"Sounds like they were friends, why were the other girls upset?" Athena hated herself right then for sounding like her high school counsler.

"They were whores, and lost a good john because he was with Faith. It got worse. They e-mailed her threatening her and stuff. Then my parents were out of town for the weekend and Jock-boy came over and actually spent the night. When the bitches found out they sent her this pic of a doll that looked like her and said they were going to do all this stuff to her if she didn't stop hangin' with jock-boy. They didn't stop and by the end of the week everything the girls said they would do to her had been done and her body was found in the river." he shuddered. "It was all sorts of nasty."

"So why are you here?"

"I looked this place up on the web. I saw it mentioned on a tv show. Well not here, but a similar place and figured I'd see if it's real. Not too hard to track if you know what you're looking for."

"Aren't your parents worried?"

"Probably." he shrugged and turned up his coke. "But they can't find who killed Fay, and I know. But the only people who will believe me are the ghost busters."

"Kiddo, why don't we call your folks, tell them you're okay and then take you to town and get you on the next bus home? I know it's tough right now but this doesn't really sound like our thing. Just leave it to the police."

"No! Won't you at least check it out? What if they do it again? Someone has to punish them." Athena dug a sucker out of her pocket and popped it in her mouth, she needed to think a minute, this kid wasn't making things easy.

"You call your parents I'll look into it. But I'll need more details and if it is our thing, you'll have to wait until my sister gets back."

"Where is she?" he asked eagerly knowing he was going to get what he wanted.

"On a hunt with some friends of ours."

"You let her go without you?" he looked perplexed by the concept of letting your older sister leave you behind.

"First rule of hunting: Everyone leaves. If you're lucky they come back, but they always leave."

"I don't like that rule."

"How old are you rugrat?" she asked patting the pockets of her jacket looking for her cell.

"14 next month." he smiled broadly.

"You are way to young for this." she muttered shaking her head and passing him the phone. "Call your dad, tell him you're in Montana and safe. Tell him you'll be home in a few days." Jimmy nodded and took the phone standing up.

"I'm going over there," he pointed to a semi empty section of the bar. "I'll be back." he promised before skittering away.

"Is she going to be okay?" Autumn asked Dr. Owen when he returned to the girl's room.

"We've done everything we can do, the rest is up to her. Do you know how we can contact family?" Dr. Owen, was an older doctor, probably a few years from retirement and while he still did things by the book he'd seen enough carnage in his years to allow small comforts, like the strangers that found the girl, in her room with her.

"No, sir. We found her, just like we said." Sam answered for her. Autumn hadn't let go of the kid's hand since she'd come back in. Dean and Marc had gone to watch over the CSI and police dispatched to investigate, Marc had barely been able to look at the girl and Dean didn't want Autumn left alone with vampire chow. So he'd ordered his brother to stay with Autumn and he took Marc with him to lurk.

"Yes, well, we didn't find any I.D. on her. I'll have one of my nurses get a look at missing persons matching her description. If she wakes up, don't let her do too much moving. That arm isn't going to heal right if she moves it." Dr. Owen warned hooking the chart over the foot of the bed and leaving.

"She looks like a Maggie don't you think?" Autumn asked relaxing back into her chair. Sam took his first real look at the girl, she wasn't too much younger than Marc, maybe eighteen, with freckles and soft caramel hair cut to hug her face, she did look like a Maggie.

"Yea," he leaned against the wall. "When do you think she'll wake up?"

"When the anesthetic wears off." Autumn answered matter-of-factly. "She was starting to wake up when we brought her in. I'm more worried about what she'll be able to tell us, than what she remembers. I've seen the damage those things can do. They thought she was dead, or as good as to leave her out as bait."

"How do we know it's bait?" While watching Autumn and Dean confer over the girl before they picked her up, he knew they'd come to conclusions and made decisions he wasn't privy to, and didn't like being left in the dark. That damn silent language of theirs.

"We've been here too long for them not to have picked up our scent. This nest knows all four of us, we've all killed a few of them. I don't like the way they're laying low. I want a full out attack, something upfront. When they stay hidden like this it means bad things."

"How many vampires have you come across?" she shrugged.

"Not many personally. Red always set Athena and I up sniper like. We'd rain poison arrows on them or bullets, slow them down and distract them and he and his brother would go in and do the dirty work. But even then it was only a handful, when they could really justify taking out vampires over something else."

"Hmm, where am I?" Autumn and Sam's head both jerked around to look at the girl she was trying to sit up.

"Shh, lay still." Autumn cooed. "You're in a hospital, we found you. You've been hurt, don't move your left arm."

"What?" there was a confused panic in the girl's groggy voice.

"It's okay, now. Just don't move it." Autumn smiled moving so the girl could clearly see her. "I'm Autumn, and this is my friend Sam." she tugged Sam over into view.

"I'm Fred."

"Nice to meet you Fred."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I'm not getting my alerts, so if I don't respond to you, give it a few days, I'm not ignoring ya. There is a link to the album of dolls on my profile. There are a lot of pics there so be patient while it loads. I was putting them in the chapters but they're not working, go figure. Anyway R&R, I live for it.**

**Chapter Seven **

"It's short for Winifred, but I hate it. So call me Fred, I'm begging you." she smiled sweetly. "So what the hell happened? Last I remember those cannibal things were all over me."

"We don't know, it's kind of why we're still her, Fred." Sam answered.

"Autumn, you can answer real questions right? I mean you don't let Mr. Jolly Green answer everything for you." Fred asked with the hint of a smirk.

"Nah, he's the brains of the operation, the brawn isn't here right now, I'm the beauty. They pay me to stand here and look pretty."

"Damn, girl! Can I get your job? I'd follow Sammy here around and look pretty." Fred shifted trying to sit herself up.

"Let me help you." Autumn cranked the bed up propping Fred into a sitting position. "Better?"

"Yea. You got my family too right? My folks and baby brother?"

"No, Fred, we only found you. We were poking around this old farm, and you were lying out back." Autumn answered her.

"Son of a bitch. They still have them." she threw back her cover and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"Just sit still." Sam forced her back.

"Tell us everything you remember, we'll go after your family." Autumn said gentler. Fred looked between the two hunters before sighing.

"We go camping for Dusty's birthday, every year. We're both home schooled, and our parents work full time jobs from the house. We see so much of each other on business that we never really talk about anything, you know normal. So Dad's great idea is to come out here to Okie, and find a pinprick of a town to hunker down in for a week. Dusty's out hiking or whatever when we'd been out for two days, comes back with this chick. Pretty, not stop traffic pretty, but the 'just seen a ghost' pale skin, and the big dark eyes, and black hair, she was wearing this leather biker jacket. Really put off the I could kick your ass without breaking a sweat vibe. Guess what! She could."

"Yea, we know her kind." Sam nodded sagely.

"She left late that night, came back the next night with some buddies. Dad had a little rifle, just enough to scare off a normal person, fired a few shots when the freaks started to get aggressive. It didn't do anything to them. The bullets hit but nothing happened. That's not normal is it?" Fred asked fear starting to take hold of her voice.

"For what they are, it's very normal." Autumn acknowledged.

"What are they?" Fred pressed.

"Vampires." Sam said tactless.

"You don't look like Buffy, Autumn."

"No, I've got more respect for myself than to walk around with a dogs name." Fred gave a short bark of laughter before wincing.

"That hurt." Sam nodded.

"Doc says you have some broken ribs. You'll be fine, sore but fine."

"Can you get my family back?" she asked closing her eyes.

"We know how to deal with vampires, yes." Autumn sat on the edge of Fred's bed and grabbed the button to the morphine. "Here, this'll make it better." she pressed the button.

"Oh… ooo." Fred was quiet a moment. "You need to know where they are?"

"That would be helpful." Autumn agreed.

"Where's the yellow brick road?" Fred giggled. Sam shook his head and looked to Autumn.

"She would have been okay a few minutes longer, ya know?"

"I've been in that pain before." Autumn pointed to Fred. "Give her an hour she'll talk."

"If you're wrong Dean's going to wring your neck."  
"Oh this is awesome I'm invisible." Fred was cackling now.

"They may want to check her dosage." Sam advised.

Dean and Marc kept out of sight. They crept around the barns, hid behind the scattering of trees, and watched as the clueless men the city had sent out at this late hour to investigate the 'crime' scene, did what they were paid to do. Dean kept a close eye on Marc, he was getting trigger happy, at the first sign of a possible vampire Marc would be waving that machete strapped around his waist like a mad man.

"Hello, Marc." Dean swore inwardly as they both spun around taking on battle stances to face the woman behind them. "I thought, you learned your lesson last time."

"Lexi, I thought I killed you last time." Marc's voice dripped with his hatred for the woman before him. She had shocking green hair, her eyes were the color of storm clouds and eager for blood, she smirked and put her hands to her hips. As she moved two men stepped out of the shadows on either side of her.

"You should know better, Marc." She moved forward eyes raking over them both, Dean waited for he to make the first move. The number one rule in fights is: never make the first move, and he sure as hell wasn't going to break it. "But, I must thank you for bringing me a Winchester. Kate, will love that." her head tilted at an odd angle as she looked Dean over. "He's a delicious morsel isn't he, boys?" Her lackeys chuckled like a couple of baboons. Lexi turned her back to them and Marc struck. His blade swept clean through her neck severing her head.

"I know I killed you this time." he smirked kicking her head when it rolled to him. Dean dropped his bow freeing his machete and leaping over the fallen body at the other vampires. Marc joined him, removing the heads of the other men. They couldn't have them going back to their leader.

"Marc, do that again and your head will roll." Dean warned.

"That was too easy." Marc ignored him squatting down to search the bodies. "Vampires aren't supposed to fall so easy." He found an empty flask, some money, and a couple of small knives, and a .45 all of which he pocketed.

"Let's get out of here." Dean cast a weary look around. "No body else is here." Marc looked out where the cops had been and even they were leaving, not having noticed the new dead bodies behind the shed.

"Sir, don't worry about your son. He's safe, I'll keep an eye on him until you can get here." Athena vowed. Jimmy danced at her feet, while she leaned into the wall and spoke with his dad.

"Thank you, we've been so worried." that had to be the millionth time he'd thanked her.

"Its not a problem, I'm just glad he found me."

"We'll be there as soon as possible, thanks again Miss Hyde." Athena shut her phone and looked at Jimmy.

"Your parents will be here in about two days, you have until then to prove to me that this is my kind of problem." Jimmy looked confused for a beat before nodding.

"Sure, dude." he gave her a broad grin. "But how do I do that?"

"Come on grasshopper, I'll show you the fountain of knowledge."

Jimmy followed her like a love sick pup back to the library. She set him up out of the way with a few books on voodoo, and satanic rituals, before going to sit in front of Jen. To the woman's credit she managed to ignore Athena's presence for fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes of the most annoying noises Athena could muster. She was halfway through burping her alphabet when Jen gave in.

"What, Daemon?"

"Will is going to Canada." she told Jen.

"No he's not, I already had this conversation once today." Jen folded her arms on the table, taking a no nonsense pose.

"Okay," Athena started to stand and leave before dropping one last bit of information. "Oh and I'm babysitting a runaway all of Georgia has been looking for since New Years."

"Teenie sit." Jen ordered, Athena didn't hesitate. She had found bargaining grounds and wasn't going to surrender them. "Explain the runaway." The blonde launched into explanation of Jimmy's sister, and why he'd come here, she finished up by telling Jen that he'd be leaving when his folks got off their plane in roughly two days. "You can't keep a kid here, Athena. Kids and big drunks with bigger guns don't mix. If he were a little older, maybe but," Jen craned her neck to see Jimmy pouring over a text book ferociously taking notes. "That child looks like a hafling. Why don't you give him a short sword named Sting and send him off to kill a dragon?"

"First of all, Bilbo wasn't supposed to kill the dragon, he was supposed to steal from it. Second, he had a dagger not a short sword, and third, dude dragon's don't exist any more. Come on, get with the times, Jenny."

"Teenie, you can't just set him up like this. You're giving him hope that his sister's death wasn't just a cruel joke gone horribly wrong or a twisted joy ride for sick minds." Jen let worry seep into her voice but not enough to soften the razor sharp edge of seriousness.

"Jen, sometimes its good to pretend things aren't as bad as they really are." Athena argued.

"But its always wrong. Life is what it is and the sooner the boy realizes that the better off he'll be."

"But that's why we do what we do right? To at least make it so a few kids don't have to go through what he's going through." Jen nodded. "No matter where the evil is?" again Jen agreed. "Then Willy is going to Canada, and doing our work there too." Athena packed all the finality in that statement as she could swinging herself to her foot and planting her crutches under her arms. "Nice play with ya, Jen." she grinned hopping away.

Will was sitting with Jimmy, when Athena go back to him. The native had an arm around the boys shoulder and was talking in a low whisper pointing at something on the page in front of the boy. She stopped to watch this for just a moment, she hadn't seen Will with kids before, at least never outside of a rescue. She was shocked to see him so comfortable with one.

"Athena!" Jimmy looked up grinning. "Mr. Raining says that I'm right, it does sound too fishy to be human." Athena locked eyes with Will and he smirked at her.

"Did you talk to Jen?"

"Yea, you're going to Canada. I might catch shit about it for the next five years but you're going." Will's eyes thanked her before breaking contact and going back to the book. "So, what do you have Jimmy?"

"Voodoo, sounds good, but Mr. Raining says that stuff don't cause a lot of hunter uproar. Isn't that cool? That you guys are called hunters? It's so simple and perfect!" the boy was practically bouncing in his chair.

Fred had fallen back to sleep, not before Dean had wrestled a few details about where she was being held captive out of her. It was ebbing on dawn when the four crashed into their own beds, John curling up between Autumn and Dean. For a spur of the moment thing searching the farm had been very productive. It seemed to Dean that he'd only just closed his eyes when Autumn's phone was ringing. She slapped the bedside table trying to find the source of offense.

"Hello?" she asked, groggily pushing herself past Dean's arms and into a semi sitting position.

"Autty, Autty, Autty." Athena clucked on the other end. "Here it is 8:30 and you're still asleep. What'd you do last night?… NO wait don't tell me. I really don't want to hear about your adventures between the sheets with Dino."

"Ha ha, Teenie Weenie. What's up?"

"Camp has been taken over by gay feminist monkeys and they ran Duck up the flag post." Athena answered with too much pep and cheer for this hour.

"Throw Will outside, he speaks their language."

"As in he's not fully evolved or is that a crack on his ancestry?"

"The first one. So why are you really calling?" Autumn yawned.

"Who is it?" Dean asked swinging and arm over his eyes.

"My sister, go get dressed." Autumn instructed covering the mouth piece.

"What do you know about Voodoo?"

"The kit I bought in high school didn't work."

"Okay, when you get back we might be headed for Georgia." Athena told her.

"Why?"

"A kid showed up and his sister was killed. We're researching, mostly to keep him busy and out of the bar, but there might be foul play here, and if so" she trailed off.

"And if nothing else it'll get us away from the Resort to freelance for a while." Autumn agreed. "When we get back we'll head to Georgia. How's your leg?"

"Itching like crazy. I can't wait to get this damn cast off. It's driving me up the flippin' wall." the younger woman answered frustrated.

"That means it's healing, dah-ling. Just don't stick anything down there, this time."

"Yea, yea, I won't. How long you think you'll be out?"

"Just long enough." John nudged her legs trying to push her out of bed. "Sis, we got in early this morning, I need to get moving before I drop dead. I'll call you when I get the chance."

"Watch your back. No one gets to kill you before me."

"Same for you, Squirt." Athena laughed on the other end before hanging up.

"I'll take John, and get the boys up." Dean offered, already dressed and playing with his hair in the mirror.

"Okay." Autumn stole a kiss. "I'll get ready and then we'll go find some stiff coffee."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Welcome to the New Year, ya'll! I took the day off and didn't write a single word of any story, on Jan 1st. That was the first time since I started writing way back in... Oh golly September, I was 14, so 2004... That don't sound right but the point was it was a LONG time to finally be taking a day off and it damn near killed me too. I ended up writing penpal letters and taking a mary sue quiz... I need to read the directions and take it again it said I should kill Autumn she's so Mary Sue, not the idea of killing her hasn't occured to me. My alerts still aren't working right, and I figure your's aren't either, because no one has said diddly squat about chapter 7 -tear- Okay I'm rambling so I'm gonna let cha'll go. Sarah

**Chapter Eight**

"I so can." Marc smirked. Sam shook his head.

"No, you can't hit the ceiling with the fan running." he argued. Autumn sunk deeper into the booth wondering how bad it would of her to move to a different table. Sam, Marc, and Dean were shooting spit balls at each other and their battle had just expanded to include the busboy, and ceiling fans. The waitress gave her a pitying smile as she walked up.

"Gentlemen, I'm going to have to ask you to put away the straws or leave." their waitress was an older woman who had taken over for the busboy after he'd asked Autumn 'what can I do you for?' and she'd told him more that he made in a year.

"Yes, ma'am." Sam lowered his head abashed.

"Can you bring us the bill?" Dean asked dropping his straw in the middle of the table. The woman nodded pulling out her tablet and ripping off their bill.

"Bring it to the front when you're ready." she put a hand on Autumn's shoulder before leaving.

"I think the ole broad likes ya, Autty." Marc grinned wolfishly.

"No, she probably has three boys somewhere that used to do the same thing you guys were just doing. I swear I just can't take you anywhere." she slid out of the booth Dean right behind her looking over credit cards in his wallet.

"Technically, Dean did the taking." Sam pointed out. "He drove and he is paying."

"No, George Clinton is paying." Dean amended.

"Dude, that's not even funny." Marc shook his head dismally. "Abraham Clinton would have been better. The man who can not tell a lie and the one who ruined his rep lying."

"You know what would be better?" Autumn asked leading the group to the cash register.

"What's that Aut?" Dean asked mildly interested.

"Not pulling scams. There are perfectly legal ways to make cash."

"Not that can't be tracked." he countered. Autumn rolled her eyes and dismissed herself to the car. Pre spitball war they decided to put Fred's details to use and check the farm out again. Then they'd swing back and check on the girl. Marc joined her in the backseat of the Impala, when the guys came out. Sam complained that the back was too small for his long legs, or she'd have put his butt back there instead of her own. "How old do you think that farm house is?" Dean asked pulling out.

"Hundred tops, why?" Autumn asked.

"She said every room she ever saw was windowless, cribs that old don't have huge ass basements or attics." Dean started.

"And nearly every other room has a window." Sam finished furrowing his brow dropping into thought.

"What about the barns?" Marc asked. "They like barns, not so much feuding over who gets what room, they just all stay in the loft."

"A horse stall or milk room can easily be converted into a prison cell." Autumn added.

"We'll check the house first then sweep the barns." Dean decided.

Athena and Jimmy stayed in her cabin. It was easier to sleep knowing someone else was in the cabin with her. She couldn't imagine how Autumn had managed while she'd been off hunting with Dean and Sam after the fire, of course her sister did have the dog. Jimmy begged to learn to shoot, but Athena was completely against that. She could just see the boy's dad going off because she'd armed him, it was bad enough she was revealing what lurked in the shadows, he didn't need to accidentally blow himself to Kingdom Come.

Jimmy made the coffee while she took care of the pancakes. He'd found endless amusement in her lack of skills with the tiny machine. Will had joined them, for a farewell breakfast, and was egging the kid on. So far they'd decided she couldn't use a microwave, toaster, ice machine, or easy bake oven and the list was still growing.

"Do you think she'd be okay with the real oven?" Jimmy asked rocking from side to side in his seat.

"Kid, you're going to fall in a minute and I'm not explaining to your folks how you got the knot on that freakishly large head of yours." Athena scolded trying to reign in her temper.

"Did she just say I have a big head?" Jimmy feigned surprise.

"I believe her words were freakishly large, but don't worry rugrat, it means she likes you. She always insults those she likes. Watch." she caught Will's grin from the corner of her eye. He pushed away from the table coming up behind her making a grab for her waist to pull her a way from her cooking.

"William Raining Cloud! I swear to God, if you don't sit down, shut up, and mind your damned manners I'm going to kick your scrawny little Indian ass out the door." she vowed nearly burning her hand on the skillet.

"Feel the love?" Will laughed going back to sit with Jimmy.

"I get it now, so she really likes you? Because that's like the millionth time she's 'insulted' you."

"Once, not so long ago, she like liked me. But I'm the run to fight kind of guy. I don't bring my woman in on my battles."

"Your woman?" Athena asked sliding a plate in front of both her guests.

"Yea, you were my woman." Will nodded stealing the syrup.

"I swear." she rolled her eyes going back to the stove to drain her coffee mug.

Will eventually coaxed her back to the table to eat with them, promising to drop the games. They had a civilized conversation, at least as much as possible when your topic isn't civilized. Athena was shocked at how well he got along with the boy. Will was an absolute fountain of information, spilling kernels of wisdom at the boy's feet. Jimmy gathered up all the tips and hints hungrily, stopping just short of taking notes. After they'd finished eating Jimmy jumped to wash the dishes and Will drug her into the living room for private good-byes.

"You take care of yourself, Angel. I don't want to come back and find you worse off than you already are." he warned her.

"I'll be fine. You watch you're back though. I'm not getting my passport out to bring your sorry dead ass back to the states." she teased, already sensing the awkward hug that was coming.

"And keep a close eye on Jimmy."

"I will." she nodded. Will stepped closer, and she started count down to the hug.

"He reminds me a lot of you, the way he doesn't sit still, and is so easily excited."

"Sounds more like a puppy." Will gave her a weak smile. "You better getting moving, Willy, your party'll be waiting." she reminded him. He leaned in for a quick embrace and she held on a second longer than she'd meant to, every good-bye could be your last in this business. He mistook the gesture for more than friendly worry and kissed her cheek.

"I always wanted a puppy." he grinned when she released him.

"I like him, Will I mean." Jimmy said chewing on a pen cap as they sat in the library.

"I do too." she smiled.

"Then why did you break up?" he queried. Athena batted the option of calling it a long story and moving on around in her head a moment before answering.

"He left me for a hunt, I sort or realized then that he wasn't good for me. He's a good friend, and we'd die for each other. But I'd rather be with someone who doesn't try and protect me from those sort of things than with someone who runs and hides them from me. If he can hide a shadow shroud from me what else can he hide?" Jimmy nodded sagely.

"You're afraid."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Jim, baby, do your homework or no TV tonight." she winced inwardly recognizing the phrase as a threat Mrs. Morton had used on her.

"Don't mind, that screen is so small you need a microscope to see the people anyway." Athena denied herself the pleasure of smacking the boy upside the head instead turning to her books. She'd left him on his own research so she could further pursue her own project, being illustrations for their latest book.

"House clean?" Marc asked though he already knew the answer. Autumn sent him a bored look, she was obviously ready to go back home. He doubted she really had ever been one hundred percent on board with this hunt. She usually didn't seek revenge, it wasn't her style. She claimed it just clouded your sense and that was definitely not a good idea for a hunter.

"Clean." Dean nodded confirming. Marc hadn't decided what he thought of this guy yet. Dean seemed nice enough, and a blind man could see Autumn was wild about him. Most the time that would have been more than enough for him, but Marc couldn't get past the stories of the man's brutal slaughtering on some hunts. The last thing he wanted for Autumn was a brutal guy, she'd already had one of those.

"Let's go check the barn." Sam said already starting down the stairs. Marc had made up his mind about this one the moment he'd laid eyes on him. He liked Sam, he genuinely liked him. He felt connected to him because of what had happened to both their mothers. But there was a constant undercurrent of fear he had for Sam Winchester. A real psychic is hard to find, and licking one is like licking a car battery, but they always had a way of knowing too much about exactly what you didn't want them to know.

Marc followed the trio down the steps and slipped into his stealth mode as they neared the barn. He knew before he got to the door that there weren't any vampires here. Sam could see the future from time to time, this was Marc's talent: he could sense vampires. We'll most supernatural things, but vampires the most. No body understood how he could get lost in the grocery store but find a possessed engine with fewer details than make and model.

They entered weapons drawn and scanned the open room. Nothing out of the ordinary, abandoned broke down farm equipment, a few bats in the rafters, and the remains of some cat's dinner. Nothing remarkable. Nothing strange. Definitely nothing paranormal. Autumn threw him a questioning glance when he lowered his blade and carelessly walked into the heart of the barn.

"There's nothing here." Sam said disheartened. "It's a total miss."

"Come on, let's go talk to Freddie, she should be a little less…" he trailed off not knowing what word would best describe the girl's behavior.

"Loopy." Autumn supplied. Marc caught the exchanged that followed. Dean glared at her a split second for showing him up, she batted her lashes clearly untroubled by what she'd done, then he bobbed his brow causing her to twitch in a silent laugh. Marc shook his head and caught up with the long legged Sam, at least he wasn't sickeningly and shamelessly flirting with anyone.

"No, it wasn't a farm." Fred rolled her eyes and shimmied up into a sitting position. Her arm had been put in a sling and she held it close to her body, an IV fed her pain killers keeping the pain tolerable.

"Then what was it?" Dean asked impatiently. Sam and Autumn hung back, sooner or later he'd realize that his method would just keep leading them in circles.

"It was a place." Fred grinned.

"What kind of place?"

"A place where you keep people you want to eat." Dean growled running his fingers through his hair.

"You aren't helping."

"You aren't being very clear with your questioning Dean-o."

"Fred, describe the place again. What was the room you were in made of, was it wood or concrete? How low was the ceiling? Could you hear sounds outside, like birds or cars?" Autumn stepped forward and leaned toward Dean, not enough that they touched just enough so he knew his turn was over, she'd disabled him.

"Ceiling was normal seven feet maybe, room was like a storage room after the shelves and shit had been removed." she pinched her eyes shut a moment summoning the memory. Her meds made her mind fuzzy and she had to struggle to get anything clear out. "We were close to a road. Not a main road, maybe residential if you live on the out skirts." When she opened her eyes the auburn haired woman was nodding trying to coax more information out of her. Fred wished the woman and her boyfriend would back down and let Sam talk, she liked Sam. He looked like a big ole puppy dog, and she just wanted to hug him, but she knew he had a vicious side too that could rip her to shreds. Fred smirked inwardly, that's probably why she liked him.

"What did it smell like?" Autumn asked.

"What did it smell like? What am I a blood hound?" she hadn't expected this question.

"Yea, did it smell like an old abandoned place, or a storage room for food, or a animal shelter? Was it musty, moldy? Did it smell wet?" that was the puppy himself.

"It hadn't been empty long, you could still smell hay out in the big room. Where they kept us…" she trailed a minute forcing down the emotions that came with remembering her parents and baby brother locked up with her. There were others too, mostly teenagers scared out of their minds. "Where they kept us was definitely like a pantry." Sam looked perplexed, while Dean and the funny looking guy, Marc, just looked clueless.

"There had been hay and food?" Autumn repeated confirming the facts. Fred nodded even though it made her head spin. "You ever been to a Honky-tonk?"

"I've seen them on GAC, why?"

"Okay well they glorify them, mostly, but did it feel like what you'd expect one of those to feel like?" Fred read a fear in Autumn's eyes, she'd obviously run into some trouble in a place like this before.

"Yea, I guess, sorta." Autumn stuck her head into the hall and asked a passing nurse for a phone book.

"What you thinking?" Marc asked Autumn as she perched on the window sill flipping through the yellow pages.

"That you need to brush you're teeth, you're breath could kill a dragon. What have you been eating White Castles with extra garlic?" Marc turned a quick shade of red.

"No Sliders but yea, extra garlic. It don't taste good in your blood, that's why the mosquitoes stay away when you eat a lot of it." Autumn looked up from the thick book and smiled.

"Cool, I'll remember that." she returned to her scan of the page. Fred's heart jumped into her throat when Sam sat on the foot of her bed.

"How you holding up?" he asked.

"I can't wait to get out of here." she answered honestly.

"You're safe here," he gave her a lopsided grin with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Stay until we seriously piss off the nest." Fred saw Autumn jerk up from the corner of her eye.

"I think I've got it." she dug out her cell and started dialing the number ignoring the sign glaring at her demanding no cell phone use.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Well, this story is moving waaaaay to slow so I'm going to try and speed things up a bit I want to get to a bit of Sam fluff at the end of this story and I can't get there until I go tango with Vamps. **

**Chapter Nine**

"You realize you thought you had it before too, and it turned to be a total bust." Marc reminded her. Autumn fixed her eyes on him making him wish he could sink through the car seat.

"We, we thought we had it." she corrected him fiddling with the rearview mirror. "And it wasn't a total bust, we found Winifred."

"So how'd you get General Dean to let you out without him?"

"He's not my keeper, Marc, and he doesn't exactly know we're headed for a drive by." Autumn answered wondering if maybe she should have been a little clearer on what it was she and Marc were going out to do. There were a million different things that could go wrong and they'd have absolutely no back up, and she knew Marc was antsy to get these blood suckers.

"Are you sure he isn't your keeper, because whatever he says you pretty much do? Like when we found Fred you didn't argue at all about being told to stay by the house. When we'd go out with Red or Will you fought them at every turn."

"That was different." Mostly because she didn't find it adorable when they barked out orders, but she wasn't telling Marc that. Instead she put more pressure on the accelerator and gunned it toward their new suspected hide out.

The signs that had once declared the rowdy bar the Devil's Playpen were gone. The few small windows had been boarded over and the parking lot behind the place had array of 'abandoned' cars. The phone service had been discontinued, Autumn knew from her phone call that afternoon. The costumer parking in front what littered with broken glass shards that sparkled in the little light still provided by the dipping sun.

"What do you think?" she asked Marc. He we pressed against the passenger window peering at the cars.

"See that beat up station wagon?" Autumn slowed the Mustang so she could get a look at the vehicle in question.

"Yea?"

"That was Lexi's, pre-vamp ride." Autumn sped back up to the speed limit, intent on turning on the first side road she found and hightailing it back to the motel.

"You knew Lexi before she became a vampire?" Marc nodded leaning back into his seat and closing his eyes. "How?"

"It was before you guys came out to the Resort. The nest had been off the radar for almost six years, they disappeared right after killing my mom, and then just showed up one day. So Will, Jen, Red, and I suit up and head out. We met this really sweet girl, about Jen's age, she was full of information. Loved the supernatural, at least as it was in print, she starts following us around. Will and I were trying to talk Red into bringing her home with us, she was great. I don't know Autumn, it all happened so fast. She was in our Motor home, and we were ambushed. They messed us up pretty good and took Lexi, as soon as we were able to we went after her but it was too late. We took out as many as we could, got their meals to a hospital, once we were sure they hadn't been turned. Before we left we burned the damn place down, Lexi and some of the others were inside not dead but not capable of moving again yet, we really did a number on them." he was quiet a long time and Autumn wasn't sure what to say to make it okay. "We have to keep Fred in the hospital, she can't get caught in the cross fire like Lexi did, it's not fair."

"Fred will be fine, she's not getting out anytime soon." she leaned forward and turned on the radio to kill the silence that followed.

"Where'd you go?" Dean asked looking up from some black 'n' white horror film on the TV screen.

"Out." Autumn answered shedding her jacket in time to catch John's paws as he leapt on her.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" he turned back to the screen.

"Yea, I'm surprised no one else had found it." she steered the dog toward the bed. "Where's Sam?"

"Running a search on his computer. How hard is this one going to be?"

"Same ole same ole."

"Autumn," he clicked the TV off and looked at here. "You aren't with holding information are you?"

"Maybe, what're you gonna do about it?" she grinned.

"Come on, Aut. I'm not playing games." Autumn rolled her eyes when he sat up to stare her down.

"The place I was thinking of is it. There are two exit's the front door and the back door. We can easily trap them. I don't know about the numbers, though." he nodded.

"Tomorrow early afternoon, will be the best time to go. They'll be asleep and we can get in easier."

"How'd you know where I went?"

"Marc told Sam."

"The traitor." she pretended to be offended. Dean swatted at Autumn's arm playfully.

"Smatter than you, what would you have done if they spotted you?"

"Hold fire until I could see the whites of their eyes." she grinned leaning toward him. "Then go off like a bomb. Sure it means self destruct but it would be fun."

Despite Marc's protests Autumn had gone back to Fred and told her what they were going to do today. Fred had begged to come along and it had taken the best of Sam's patented puppy dog looks to convince her she'd be better off at the hospital. They still hadn't found family to stay with her and were seriously talking about release. But here they were a half hour past noon, standing outside of what used to be the Devil's Playpen.

They'd gone over the plan already and stacked anything burnable outside the back door and drenched it in gas. While the boys were doing this, Autumn drifted off slicing and dicing tires. Each of the four were heavily armed with knives, and machetes, and though they didn't do much, guns were holstered as they always were. Originally, Autumn was supposed to stay and light the fire when she heard people heading for the door, but instead Marc had been set to this duty.

"Ready?" Dean asked his brother and girlfriend.

"Yea." Sam nodded. He looked to Autumn who gave a careless shrug as if to say she could go either way. He'd already picked the lock, turning the knob and lifting up to keep the door from dragging the ground he eased it open.

Hammocks, cots, and sleeping bags littered the room. Not a single one empty. Dean took a quick estimate of the number of vampires they were looking at, four hammocks, three sleeping bags and two cots. Autumn and Sam were already pushing in past him. Autumn jerked her head toward the kitchen before she started picking her way through the mess of bodies.

Autumn slipped through the curtain the kept the kitchen separate from the main room. Kate laid on a throw-a-way bed, sound asleep a body pillow clutched in her arms. She was forced to think of the vampire's lost mate, the poor things mate for life. The pity Autumn felt was short lived when her eyes fell on the door labeled "STORAGE". She edged forward reaching for the door knob, it was locked.

Autumn cast a weary glace from Kate to the curtain before slipping her fingers into her hair to extract the familiar bobby pin. Her priority had nothing to do with revenge, all she wanted to do was get the victims out and safe. The lock was easier to pick than she'd expected. Her nerves nearly made her turn back around to get Sam or Dean to open the door. She didn't want to get caught sneaking in after Kate's prey. She cracked the door open soundlessly, pushed it further. Autumn strained her eyes to make out the forms of five bodies pressed together in the far back corner.

"Hey, it's okay, I won't hurt you." she said softly flitting into the small room. She move slowly, each movement precise, and deliberate. Autumn reached a hand out to the people clustered so tightly. "I'm here to help you."

"How do we know you ain't one of them?" a boy of sixteen asked.

"There was a girl here a few days ago named Winifred, she was taken with her little brother and parents from a campsite."

"So? Any of them freaks could know that." the same boy barked.

"Shh You're going to wake Kate up. She'll kill us all."

"Is Fred dead?" a girl not much older than the boy asked.

"No, honey. Fred's good as gold, we gotta her set up in a nice hospital bed." Autumn felt like a kindergarten teacher talking to a kid whose parent was late to pick her up.

"Guys let's just go. What do we have to lose?" the girl ask staggering to her feet. Autumn reached out to help the girl.

"I don't know, Mandy, our lives, maybe?" the boy growled striking out to drag Mandy back to the ground.

"Stop it!" Mandy said harshly keeping her voice low. "Dusty, come on let's go see your sister. Jamie, Kirby, you too."

"What do we have here?" a voice drew behind them. Autumn shoved Mandy behind her drawing her weapon and spinning around to meet the voice's owner.

**A/N: I know it's short but it's been a while since I left you with a good cliff hanger so here it is. I'm posting this and going to bed. I'll see you guys tomorrow... the alerts are finally catching up.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **I'm soooo sorry, I meant to have Chapter 10 up days ago, but I got sucked into a book and couldn't find my way back out. It was the first time in a long while, since the GoF incident where Felina my goat ate a large portion of the book after dunking it in the water bucket, that I took a book to do my animals with me. Freaking book still has a hold of me and I've finished reading it. But at least it was a vampire book so I've got a little more material... though it don't really follow the same characteristics of Supernaturals vampires. -shrugs- such is life. Sorry about the crappy cliff hanger, the least I could have done was leave you with some a little less obvious. I know I'm making another annoyingly large a/n but I just have a quick question: I'm working on a story from the POV... well actually its setup like Athena is writing it, she's going to tell the background stories of a lot of my OC's, I was wondering which one you guys would want to learn about first or if you'd be interested at all. The OC's can be anyone I've mentioned in detail, Lexi, Will, Mark, Martha, Billy-Jack, Kit and Josh, I'm not paticular though I may not jump to your suggest/request as I'm working on a fic entitled Break Fall that will be a autobiography like thing for Autumn that'll get her time with Billy-Jack out of my head and in print. Okay, that's it guys read and leave me a review.

**Chapter Ten**

"She's been gone too long." Dean whispered, casting a look at the curtain as if it were responsible for keep Autumn gone so long. Sam nodded his agreement. He wanted this nest wiped out as badly as Dean did, they had endangered his big brother and father not too long ago then more recently sent a shape shifter after them, resulting in the injuries that kept Athena held up back at the resort. But still as badly as he wanted them to hurt he wanted to get his friends out safely in the process, along with any innocents that may be captive in this abandoned shabby bar.

"I'll stay here." he offered his blade held ready to render any blood sucking vermin's head, who dared to approach him. Dean looked him over appraisingly seeming to tell him with out words that he'd be just a thin layer of cotton away. Sam nodded to his brother a faint smile tingeing his lips. "Go check your girl." he ordered. He wasn't used to giving Dean orders but he had things under control. The nine vampires in the room were deep in slumber as the sun was still high in the sky, as long as he was quiet they'd remain that way. Sleeping enemies were easy to keep in a building, you simply didn't wake them.

Dean didn't need telling twice he spun on his heel and practically flew through the curtain. He quickly recognized the sleek black hair and slender build of the woman bodily standing in the door way just across the room. His jaw clenched on its own accord. He came to a complete, silent stop, Kate was giving her full attention to the contents of the room before her, and Dean knew those contents were Autumn and prisoners.

"Not trying to be a hero are you, Daemon?" Kate purred. Autumn smiled in response.

"I'd never try that. Too boring."

"Hmm, then why are you here?" Autumn saw Kate stiffen considerably, she was controlling herself tightly, careful not to launch an attack before she batted her prey around a little. Autumn was suddenly acutely aware of the stench of blood and bile that the small windowless room possessed.

"Shape Shifter named Zach, tried to kill my family. Little birdy said you had something to do with that?" despite her own attack stance Autumn managed a very casual voice as if they were discussing something no more important than last week's weather.

"Since you're here, he's dead." Autumn nodded not taking her eyes off the vampire queen before her. "But not failed, because after all you are here." The kids behind Autumn sat perfectly still and silent pressed close as possible to the wall and each other. Kate stalked forward still in a very controlled manner. Dean took his opening making himself known by crashing into the vampire smashing her into the wall.

"Get them out!" he ordered jerking his head at the teens in the corner.

Kate was struggling against Dean's grip and Autumn moved faster than she thought she could ripping the younger humans to their feet and shoving them toward the door. She was vaguely aware of telling them to keep quiet and move quickly out the front door. However, they didn't make it far before a piercing scream was emitted from Kate jolting the nine humanoid ticks, in the main room, awake. Sam was standing at the door shifting from foot to foot looking like a baseball hitter waiting for the pitch. When the nine woke up he let out a sting of profanity.

"Out!" he started grabbing hold the teens and throwing them out the open door. The vampires were still trying to get things to click in their minds when they realized what was going on Autumn was dead center of the room. "There's a man 'round back tell him to start." Sam barked at the last boy as he gave him a shove out the door.

Two vampires collided with Autumn, teeth bared. She managed to land a blow to the chest of the male in front of her and spun with as much force as she could muster her machete connecting with the female's neck, who had her back. Sam moved to be closer to her trying to get back to back, but struggling to do so as he was attacked from every angle. He'd managed to drop two of the creatures by the time he reached Autumn's side, at the same moment Dean burst through the curtain, yanking it down as hit the ground. Kate came in stepping over him one boot planted on his neck.

Marc struck a match dropping it into the gasoline puddle. With a WHOOSH the liquid instantly, hungrily, sprang to life dancing in flames. He pointed the five teens in the vague direction of the cars and raced to the front. The door stood wide open and he was tempted to pause a moment, catch his breath and gawk at the horror within. Sam and Autumn were pressed back to back swiping almost blindly at the dark clad creatures swarming them. Dean swung his arm smashing it into the bend of Kate's knee forcing her to crash to the ground on top of him.

Marc did the first thing he could think of and withdrew his pistol, he knew it wouldn't amount to much but each bullet had recently been coated in a dead man's blood. He fired erratically, barely registering the thought not to hit his friends. The attacks slowed as the poison set in, but still slowing by vampire standards just put them about at the average speed of a human. He plunged in then, Dean seemed to be holding his own, though admittedly not well, against Kate.

One of the females broke free of the fighting fleeing for the back exit. She gave a quick howl not expecting the heat of the metal knob. Marc put himself as close to the door as possible dead set on not letting anything escape, this time. He wouldn't have noticed the entrance of the youngest boy had Autumn not missed a block taking a blow to the gut in the process. Marc wasn't surprised to see the caramel hair, he'd near expected it, it was Fred's little brother, and Marc was too consumed in the fight now to careen the boy back out.

Dusty slipped through the chaos unscathed going for a rifle propped up in the corner. It was his father's gun and he knew it well. He'd shot it several times and the wooden butt and metal muzzle were comfortingly familiar. He knew that the red headed woman was just trying to get them out, that she'd lied about his sister. These freaks had done to his Freddie, the same thing they'd done to their parents. He took little consolation in the fact that he hadn't had to witness his sister's demise. He was glad to find the gun was still loaded and cocked, foolish vampires. Dusty positioned himself in the door frame leading to the lead freak's room and shot at her. The man who'd been keeping her occupied swore when Kate turned.

Kate was headed right for the boy now. Dean struggled to catch his balance, thrown by her sudden disappearance, and dashed forward. The kid snarled and fired again. Kate threw her head back and laughed. As far as Dean was concerned everything stopped except Kate and the boy. She was still moving and he was still firing. In the time it took him to blink Kate was on the kid. He let out one pitiful yelp when she plucked him off the ground pulling the soft flesh from his neck with her teeth seconds later.

Autumn was working to the door, she'd caught the bloody scene and wanted out now. Sam and Marc were following suit Dean seemed frozen in place and she was contemplating going and dragging him out by the ear when the kitchen erupted in fire. She'd seen the small propane tank that was used to fuel a grill tucked under the counter in the kitchen/Kate's room, it wasn't going to be long before this building was gone. Seeing the flames lick up kicked Dean back into action he started his retreat. They'd at least saved most the kids and taken five of the vampires out.

Marc and Dean secured the door shut as they exited. Sam and Autumn went straight for the four remaining kids pressed against the smooth side of the Impala, hidden from view between it and the Mustang. They were all so pale and frail looking in the light of the after noon sun. The frightened look in their eyes was near unbearable, when they locked the two hunters in their gaze. None of them asked about Dusty, they just seemed to know by the crestfallen looks on the adults' faces. The girls, Mandy and Jamie wrapped their arms tightly around one another tears falling freely, sobs shaking their whole bodies.

"Shh, It's okay now." Autumn soothed stepping closer to them. Kirby and the other boy shied away from her. Autumn pulled the girls to her smoothing down their hair and whispering comfortingly. Sam looked the boys over.

"You okay?" he asked gruffer than he'd meant to but his throat felt raw with the loss of the one, young, innocent, life.

"We're alive." the boy that answered was covered from head to toe with honey colored freckles.

"Does it really matter, Kirb?" the other boy asked him. "Can you forget that?" he jerked his thumb at the burning building.

"I swear to God, Luke! Could you be anymore grateful?" Kirby scowled.

"That a friend of yours?" Luke asked as Dean and Marc walked up. Pulling into the parking lot was a beat up Dodge Ram.

"No one I…" Marc trailed off when the driver hopped out. One arm in a sling, caramel hair flying in the breeze he hadn't noticed. "Fred." he breathed.

"Where's my brother?" she demanded taking in the four hunters and the younger teens. Sam looked at her, his soft round eyes seemed to burn through her skull as they set on her eyes. "No! No. No. No. NO!" she stammered tearing toward the building on the broken black top. She tripped, stumbled, hit the ground and rolled. Jumped to her feet and started clawing at the barricade Dean and Marc had constructed. She discarded her sling, tears stinging her eyes.

"Fred, it's too late. He's gone." Sam spoke low hand out stretched to her as his long legged gait carried him to her.

"No! No, its not. It's never too late." her finger's trembled as she kept trying to make her way in. Sam picked up her sling and offered it to her but she ignored him.

"Fred, calm down. Breathe." He couldn't have any idea how ridiculous he sounded. She was supposed to calm down and breathe when her brother wasn't. Fred stepped back and examined the building's front. There were windows, she wasn't sure why but this was a good thing. She cast about the parking lot for something she could use. One of the hunters had dropped their blade, she scooped it up and held it in both hands. The pain in her arm was beyond belief but still couldn't hold a candle to her heart. She pulled back and swung at the nearest window. The thin plywood cracked she took another swing. "Fred!" Sam said sternly now. "This place is going down. We have to leave." He stepped forward wrapping an arm around her waist and pulled her to him. An hour ago she'd have been delighted with this closeness now she fought to get free beating her fists into his chest but aside from turning his face from her he made no sign of noticing as he half carried half dragged her toward the others.

**A/N: **Again, short I know. But this is it for now. Sorry... I'll have the next chapter up ASAP.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"Ready?" Autumn slid a hand over Marc's shoulder. "Marc?"

"Yea, I'm ready."

They had dumped the kids off at the hospital, after a long discussion on what had happened. The local news stations had all dispatched crews to catch the story, the return of a group of missing teens wasn't something that happened everyday and it sure as hell wasn't the typical someone got shot and a convenient store got robbed story. Fred was readmitted, she'd torn a lot of her stitches with her stunt. But Marc had insisted on coming back and looking at the burnt out frame of the Devil's Playpen. Five adult bodies had been found along with the remains of Dusty Pennington, the adult remains had yet to be identified. The count annoyed the hunters, there wasn't really a way out of the building and yet five vampires had gotten away.

"Here." she tossed Marc the keys. "You drive." he caught them and grinned climbing the driver's seat of the Mustang.

"We shouldn't have stayed, should we?" he asked once they were on the road, heading back to the motel where Sam and Dean were loading up the Impala.

"No, but I don't think the kids will rat us out." Autumn answered locking her eyes on the horizon. Marc didn't say anything for a long moment chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"I should have made sure they all got away. Then maybe the kid wouldn't have…" he trailed off. Autumn reached across the front of the car to lay a hand on his arm.

"Marc, we win some and we lose some, okay? Sometimes no matter what you do you can't save a person, and you'll have to deal with that. There was nothing you could have done with out dying yourself." the words sounded like a lie even to her but she said them anyway.

"Maybe I should have then."

"Don't ever say that!" she scolded removing her hand and sitting up straighter. "You're still needed around here."

"Autumn," he started to protest and reason things out to fit his view but they'd already gotten back and the Winchesters were leaned against the car waiting.

"Marc, do you believe in fate?" she asked in a rush turning to look at him.

"Sure, why?"

"Then believe in it now, it wasn't your time, and it was Dusty's ."

"So you want me to just forget it?" she smiled and shook her head.

"Never forget it, Marc, just don't be so rough on yourself."

"That makes no sense."

"I know," she swung open her door and hopped out. "Neither do you."

_Back at the Resort_

"So your sister is coming home today?" Jimmy asked staring at the puzzle on the kitchen table. Athena had scooted it out of the way and put all the unconnected pieces back in the box but hadn't let him touch it.

"She's leaving Shetland." Athena corrected reaching for her eraser. "It'll be a few days still before she gets back."

"Shame." Jimmy sighed stuffing his hands in his pockets. "I wanted to meet her." Athena looked up and grinned.

"You'll get to meet her soon enough."

"You mean you're going to do it? You're going to come down and check into my sister?" he started bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"We'll come poke around. It's been a while since we were out that way, so even if we can't do anything we'll find something worth while." she quickly looked back to her page, trying to accurately draw this installment's nasty spirit.

"You mean my sister's case isn't worth while?" he asked his face falling.

"We don't kill people, if it's a bunch of little girls jealous over some football muscle head there's not much we can do other than frame them for something, or scare the hell out of them."

"Oh." he shuffled out of the kitchen to the living room dropping into the couch.

"What time is it Jimmy?"

"Almost ten-thirty."

"Get your stuff together, we've got to get moving. You're folks plane gets in at noon."

"Do I have to go home?" he whined rocking back to his feet. "It sucks there." Athena fought not to laugh, she'd had the same thoughts about home at his age.

"Yes, you can't stay here, and I'm not helping to hide you. I could do serious jail time for that." she answered shuffling her pages back together and cleaning up her mess.

"Like that really bothers you. I heard what they say about you and your sister down there in the bar. Jail time don't scare you." he countered headed back to the bedrooms where his few belongs were scattered.

"Who is saying what?" she grabbed for her crutches hurrying after him.

"Oh, nothing." Jimmy shrugged grabbing his book bag and stuffing dirty clothes in it.

"Jimmy."

"Thena, one day you're going to make some little kid very angry."

"How's that?"

"You're kids are going to have no idea what to expect from you." Athena rolled her eyes.

"Get packed babe. I'm going to go find our ride."

Gus drove them to the air port and became wallpaper as soon as they got to the gate. Jimmy stayed as close to Athena as physically possible, nearly tripping her every time she turned around. When his folks plane finally landed he hid behind her clinging to his book bag. Jimmy's dad couldn't deny the boy to save his life. He looked just like an older version of his son, his wife on the other hand reminded Athena of a hawk with her sharp eyes and hooked nose, she was one of those women who would be labeled handsome.

"You must be Miss Hyde!" Mr. Forman, the inspiration for her alias, pumped her hand violently. Mrs. Forman had Jimmy wrapped in her arms kissing his face leaving brilliant red lips all over his forehead and cheeks.

"The one and only." She smiled. "But please call me Athena."

"Athena, we can't thank you enough for calling." Mrs. Forman released her step-son forcing him into his father's arms.

"I'd want someone to do the same for my kid. Besides, Jimmy's a good kid, we had fun." Jimmy broke out of his father's embrace.

"Yea, Athena's really cool. She lives in a log cabin and one of her friends has this huge library of ghost stories! It was awesome."

"Really?" Mrs. Forman asked but was obviously just humoring the boy.

"Is there anything we can do to repay you?" her husband asked immediately.

"No, but my sister and I were planning to make a trip to Georgia, could you suggest a good place to stay?" Mrs. Forman launched into a list of nearly every hotel in the state as she started toward the next gate that would carry the family back home. When Athena couldn't take the woman's high pitched nasal voice any more she interrupted. "Thanks." she softened her annoyed tone with a innocent grin. Jimmy smirked obviously fighting not to burst out laughing.

"Jimmy, you need to tell Miss. Hyde thank you and good bye now." his father nudged him. Jimmy sighed.

"Dad?" Mr. Forman nodded and took his wife by the elbow dragging her out of hearing range. "So, you get why I left now?" Athena ruffled his hair.

"Yea, well they love you rugrat. You shouldn't run away from people who love you that much." she cast a quick look at his step-mother. "Even if their voice makes you want to peel your skin off." He laughed and threw his arms around her.

"Thanks Thena." She gave him a one armed squeeze.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be coming to see you in a few days." he released her and stepped back. "Can you behave till then?"

"I don't know that may be a little difficult."

"Well, try or I'll beat you with this thing." she brandished her crutch at him.

"I'll try."

"Jimmy." His father called warningly.

"You gotta run kid."

"I don't want to." he whined.

"Hey," she took his shoulders in her hands. "What's the first rule of hunting?" his eyes smiled even if his lips didn't.

"Everyone leaves." she nodded.

"That means you too." With a sigh and another hug he went back to his folks. Athena watched him until he was out of sight.

Athena let the door slam behind her more worried about not falling flat on her face. She could see Sammy in the driver's seat of the Mustang , Marc at his side twisting the tip of his dunce cap. The Impala was just behind them Dean's arm hanging out the window. Athena wobbled to the nearest porch post and leaned into it, heavily. Sam had called when they'd made it to the entrance, just as he'd promised, and she'd wasted no time in getting out on to the porch to greet them.

"What no young 'uns?" Autumn asked walking hunched over to keep hold of John.

"Naw, I sent him out after a fire wood last night and he didn't come back. Bears must of got him." Athena grinned, wishing her sister would hurry up.

"We never leave her with the kids." Dean joked looking at Autumn.

"Who said I'd have your kids?" Athena saw the sudden fear in Autumn's eyes at the idea of kids with Dean, or anyone for that matter.

"Yea, you're a big enough kid." Marc swung out of the car like a monkey, holding onto the Mustang's roof. With a quick fluid movement he smashed his hat on his head and dropped his feet to the ground.

"Did you get that puzzle done?" Sam asked taking advantage of his long legs to beat everyone onto the porch.

"Are you joking, you get the torturous joy of finishing that with me."

"Yay me." he winked passing her for the front door. "Well, come on let's get it over with."

Marc started to say something, he wanted to pull Dean aside and threaten him if he did anything to hurt Autumn, but now wasn't the time. He was still behaving. Athena was picking her way back in to follow Sam. As soon as her sister was out of the way, Autumn released John . The dog tore around the cabin watering anything that stuck up out of the ground.

"Dean, give Marc the keys so he can get his stuff." Autumn instructed reaching her arms above her head to stretch.

"Here, man." Dean threw the keys at him and Marc had to scramble to catch them.

"Thanks." Dean shrugged and started up the steps.

"I'm gonna crash." he told Autumn.

" Kay, I'll be in after bit." she watched him go in before coming to lean against the back of the Impala. "How you holding up?"

"At least he didn't suffer. I mean it's not Lexi all over again." Autumn nodded.

"That's the trick, look at the silver lining." Marc slung his bag over his shoulder.

"You really think so?"

"I know so." she grinned. "Do you know how?"

"How, Autty?" she smirked slamming the trunk for him and wrenching the keys free.

"I'm always right."

"Yea, right. If you believe that then you'll believe anything." Marc shook his head. "You comin' to the big house?"

"Nope, going to head out for the range, let Jen know we're home."

"Later, then."

"Later." she waved over her shoulder taking off at a sprint for the ranges.

Autumn and Dean were asleep and John was snoring in front of the front door. The fire roared and crackled in the fireplace, and aside from the snores and the fire the cabin was dead silent. It was a nice silence, one Athena hadn't realized she'd missed so much. Sam snapped another piece into place a triumphant smirk on his face. They were almost finished with the damn puzzle.

"Six pieces." Athena announced turning a white chunk of moon in her fingers.

"How was your week?" he asked conversationally. They hadn't really talked for the past two hours that they'd sat in front of the fragmented picture.

"Different." she leaned back and watched him exaggerate the act of placing the tail on the wolf.

"Good or bad, different?"

"Good, I think. I got a lot of work done, and Jimmy was nice to have around. Sort of like a highly intelligent helper monkey. How about yours?"

"Long. Marc is impossible to share a room with." Athena bit back a giggle.

"I know, he and Autumn used to get into it all the time when he'd tag along with us and Will." Sam's shoulder's tensed at the mention of Will and Athena felt the burst of butterflies in her stomach.

"Where's he at, I didn't see him today?"

"Canada by now, at least if the rust machine didn't break down." she'd meant it as a joke but Sam had spotted the undercurrent of real worry.

"Have you called him?" she shook her head and put the puzzle piece to her lips absent mindedly chewing at its edge. "Do you want to?" she shook her head again sitting back up.

"No, he's a big boy. He needs help he'll give a ring. So besides Will, how was the hunt?"

"We lost a kid. Fifteen or so, left his sister alone in the world too."

"Where were their folks?" she asked sympathy soaking her voice.

"Kate and friends got to them before we got there. They tossed Fred, the boy's sister, out and we found her. But Kate killed Dusty right in front of us." Sam returned his attention to the puzzle and Athena wished she had something better to talk about.

"Did Autumn tell you about Georgia?" his lack of response encouraged her to keep talking. "Jimmy, the boy that was here, thinks there's a case down there. I promised we'd check it out, probably won't find anything but it can't hurt, right?"

"Right." he reached for her puzzle piece, it was the last missing part. Their hands touched and eyes met. Athena sucked in a sharp breath and her bottom lip. "Can't hurt." he repeated. John barked in his sleep making them both jump. Sam laughed when he realized it was just the dog, she rolled her eyes.

"We need to get to bed, Sammy."

**A/N:Ha ha! It's taken longer than the others but its done... Finally. Thanks for sticking around for another hunt. I'm not sure what's up next. I know they're headed for Georgia and Jimmy but what they'll do there exactly I don't know. So you'll probably get more Meet the Daemons before you get anything else. Oh, and I can't remeber if I've told you or not but there a link on my profile that will take you to see the dollz they weren't showing up in the A/N's. Thanks again!Sarah**


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